SEVENTEEN member Joshua delivered an inspiring message of hope and unity during a special event at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France on June 25.
Speaking on behalf of all 13 members, Joshua encouraged young people around the world to believe in their dreams, while reaffirming the group’s commitment to supporting young people through its ongoing partnership with UNESCO.
Joshua took to the stage as UNESCO’s Youth Goodwill Ambassador during the “UNESCO x SEVENTEEN: Celebrating Youth, Creativity and Wellbeing Together” event, held in the organization’s main hall, AllKPop reported.
Looking back on SEVENTEEN’s participation in the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum in 2023 and the group’s appointment as the first UNESCO Youth Goodwill Ambassadors in 2024, he said that both SEVENTEEN and UNESCO share the belief that young people have the power to create meaningful change.
He introduced the group’s global youth grant program, “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being,” which provides young people with funding, mentorship and opportunities to turn their ideas into real projects.
Joshua said the initiative demonstrated how music, art and sport can help young people express themselves, look after their wellbeing and build confidence as they work together to create positive change.
Joshua encourages young dreamers
Reflecting on SEVENTEEN’s journey, Joshua spoke honestly about the challenges the group has faced over the past decade.
“SEVENTEEN has been sharing a dream for more than 10 years and we have often had to face uncertainty within ourselves,” he said. “We had to adapt to change, face new challenges and push ourselves beyond our limits.”
According to MaeilBusiness, he explained that those experiences taught members an important lesson about teamwork.
“Through this process, we learned that no growth comes alone. We also learned that mutual trust and the belief that we are stronger together can take us farther,” Joshua said, adding that he saw the same spirit of cooperation among the youth at the event.
Joshua closed his speech with a heartfelt message that drew warm applause from the audience.
“Your dreams are very important to you, to this world and to SEVENTEEN,” he said. “Don’t let anyone, not even yourself, diminish your dreams.”
He also promised to continue supporting young people around the world by standing alongside them as a UNESCO Youth Goodwill Ambassador.
Since becoming UNESCO’s first Youth Goodwill Ambassadors in 2024, SEVENTEEN has strengthened its support for young people by donating $1 million to launch the Global Youth Grant Scheme and making additional contributions through the proceeds of the “JOOPITER presents: sacai x SEVENTEEN” charity auction.
