K-pop stars Seventeen to become UNESCO ambassadors

PARIS — K-pop megastars Seventeen will become UNESCO “goodwill ambassadors” from June 26, the United Nations body announced on Tuesday.

“Seventeen and UNESCO share the same commitment to empowering young people to drive change and address the challenges of our century,” said Audrey Azoulay, director-general of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in a statement.

“They also inspire and support young people around the world with their music and positive energy,” she added.

Seventeen, the 13-strong South Korean band founded in 2015, was second only to Taylor Swift for global revenue last year, according to the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI).

They also topped the IFPI album charts in 2023 with FML and have racked up billions of streams online.

They will officially take on their UNESCO functions — which involve promoting youth-focused projects around the world — in a ceremony at its Paris headquarters on June 26.

The group has already been working with the organization less formally and performed at the UNESCO Paris office in November.

Other current ambassadors include Brazilian footballer Vinicius, actors Rossi de Palma and Forest Whitaker, and Italian-Argentinian chef Mauro Colagreco.