Spokesman Report
Paris: UNESCO and K-pop icon SEVENTEEN, the
Organization’s Goodwill Ambassador, are stepping up their support for youth
by awarding financial grants to 100 initiatives designed and led by young
people in 70 countries. The project leaders will also benefit from training and
expert mentoring.
“Young generations are a source of innovation and solutions to meet the
challenges of our century, but they often lack funds and support. With a budget
of one million dollars, made possible by SEVENTEEN’s contribution, 100
inspiring initiatives created by and for young people will be implemented,
benefiting thousands of youth and their communities,” said Audrey Azoulay,
UNESCO’s Director-General.
“The creative spirit and sense of responsibility that permeate these youth-led
projects have been an inspiration to us all. We are excited to see how the
collective experience will help build youth communities and empower many
more like ourselves to achieve their dreams,” added SEVENTEEN, K-pop
group and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth.
52% of the global population is under 30 years old, and this figure is expected
to rise to 57% by 2030. Yet today’s generation of youth face many challenges,
E-mail: unic-islamabad@un.org, Web: www.pakistan.un.org
from increasing mental health struggles to a lack of opportunities that match
their aspirations.
Named Goodwill Ambassador for Youth by Audrey Azoulay in July 2024, the
world-famous group SEVENTEEN has joined UNESCO’s efforts to support
young people in implementing impactful solutions for themselves and their
communities by donating 1 million USD to the UNESCO Global Youth Grant
Scheme. In just a few weeks, the #GoingTogether campaign received over
2,300 applications from all over the world.
100 projects from 70 countries across all regions were selected by an
international jury for their potential to drive change, build creative communities,
or improve young peoples’ mental health and well-being. The majority of these
projects will work through music, sports and the arts. The financial grants –
ranging between 5000 and 7500 USD – will enable the 100 winners to
implement their innovative projects at national or community levels until
October 2025.
In addition to financial support, UNESCO and SEVENTEEN will provide project
management training, and mentorship for the winners. The training programme
will be led by social innovation experts, who will also help identify mentors from
various professional backgrounds. The winners are also engaged in cocreating the training programme.
