SEVENTEEN’s Joshua Headlines UNESCO Event in Paris to Push Youth Creativity and Well-Being

Joshua urges young people to “never let anyone… belittle your dream”

SEVENTEEN member Joshua delivered an inspirational speech at UNESCO headquarters in Paris on June 25, where he addressed young audiences as part of a special event titled “UNESCO x SEVENTEEN: Celebrating Youth, Creativity and Well-Being Together.” Speaking on behalf of all 13 members, the K-pop idol framed the partnership as more than a public-facing collaboration—calling it a practical effort to help young people turn ideas into real-world projects through creativity, mentoring, and community support.

Joshua appeared as a UNESCO Youth Goodwill Ambassador for the event, which took place in the organization’s main hall, according to reports from KpopStarz. In his remarks, he emphasized shared values between UNESCO and SEVENTEEN: that young people have the power to create meaningful change, and that collaboration—inside communities and within teams—is key to growth.

A partnership rooted in youth funding and mentorship

At the center of Joshua’s message was SEVENTEEN’s support for youth through UNESCO, including the group’s Global Youth Grant Scheme, “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being.” The program, as described in the speech and supporting coverage, is designed to provide selected young people with funding, mentoring, and opportunities to develop and implement their own initiatives.

Joshua said the scheme has demonstrated how music, art, and sports can serve as tools for self-expression and confidence-building, while also supporting well-being. The initiative’s premise—pairing creative outlets with structured guidance—positions it as an approach to youth empowerment that addresses both opportunity and emotional resilience.

From uncertainty to teamwork: lessons Joshua brought to UNESCO

Joshua also reflected on SEVENTEEN’s own trajectory over the past decade, describing how the group has maintained a long-term shared dream while facing internal uncertainty. He said that, as the group adapted to changing conditions and new challenges, the members learned that growth cannot be achieved alone.

“Through that process, we learned that no growth is achieved alone,” Joshua said, according to KpopStarz’s account of his speech. He added that trust among members and a belief that “we are stronger together” helped them push beyond their limits. By drawing a direct parallel between that experience and the young participants in attendance, Joshua suggested that UNESCO’s mission and SEVENTEEN’s identity are aligned around one central idea: cooperation can turn uncertainty into momentum.

UNESCO’s appointment and SEVENTEEN’s reported financial commitments

Joshua’s appearance at UNESCO follows earlier milestones in the partnership. KpopStarz reported that SEVENTEEN previously took part in UNESCO’s 13th Youth Forum in 2023, and that the group was appointed UNESCO’s first Youth Goodwill Ambassadors in 2024.

During the Paris event, Joshua reiterated ongoing commitments. The coverage cites a reported donation of $1 million to launch the Global Youth Grant Scheme, along with additional contributions funded through proceeds from the group’s charity auction “JOOPITER presents: sacai x SEVENTEEN.” In practical terms, those figures suggest the partnership aims to scale from awareness to funding—though the event’s core focus remained youth creativity, well-being, and access to structured support.

A message of confidence—directed at both the world and the self

In the closing moments of his address, Joshua delivered the keynote line that drew particular applause: “Your dreams are very important to you, to this world, and to SEVENTEEN.” He then urged young people not to shrink their aspirations, adding that they should not let either external criticism—or their own doubts—reduce the value of what they want to achieve.

His final refrain, as summarized in the event reporting, was blunt and personal: do not let anyone, including yourself, “belittle your dream.” For a UNESCO audience—made up of youth and supporters of education and well-being initiatives—the message echoed the organization’s long-running emphasis on enabling conditions: protecting young people’s capacity to imagine futures and build them.

What comes next for UNESCO x SEVENTEEN

With Joshua’s remarks reinforcing both the symbolism and the operational details of the partnership, observers will likely watch how the Global Youth Grant Scheme evolves. The event itself functioned as a showcase for the initiative’s mission, but it also served as a reminder that youth grants often determine whether momentum becomes sustained impact—through ongoing mentoring, follow-through, and the ability for young participants to carry projects into wider communities.

UNESCO and SEVENTEEN’s collaboration is also likely to draw attention from other cultural organizations seeking to translate celebrity visibility into measurable youth outcomes. If the partnership continues to expand funding and mentorship, it may become a template for how mainstream entertainment can support education and well-being efforts—without losing focus on the individual voice of young people themselves.