SEVENTEEN Donates $250,000 to UNESCO for International Youth Day

Rosa Gulliver
Aug 12
4 min read

Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | August 12, 2025

SEVENTEEN Donates $250,000 to UNESCO for International Youth Day

SEVENTEEN, UNESCO’s Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, has once again demonstrated their commitment to youth solidarity and global impact with a meaningful donation in celebration of International Youth Day.

SEVENTEEN will donate 250,000 USD, raised through ‘JOOPITER presents: sacai x SEVENTEEN,’ a charity auction created in partnership with influential Japanese fashion brand sacai and JOOPITER, the digital commerce platform founded by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts Education and Entrepreneurship Pharrell Williams. The proceeds will go toward strengthening the Global Youth Grant Scheme “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being,” a joint scheme by SEVENTEEN and UNESCO that funds youth-led projects in the fields of creativity and well-being across the world.

Launched in June, the auction made headlines with exclusive pieces worn and inspired by SEVENTEEN. Highlights included a custom leather jacket designed by sacai in collaboration with the group, a T-shirt signed by 11 members, and exclusive custom Labubu blind boxes; in addition, there were necklaces specially designed by Yoon Ahn.

On the significance of International Youth Day, SEVENTEEN said: “Since our debut, we’ve expressed the colourful moments of youth through music that reflects our genuine experiences and emotions. That’s why International Youth Day holds such deep meaning for us. We send our heartfelt support to all young people around the world who are pushing forward toward their dreams.”

This donation marks another impactful milestone in SEVENTEEN’s partnership with UNESCO. In 2023, SEVENTEEN became the first K-pop act to deliver a speech and perform at the 13th UNESCO Youth Forum held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. That same year, they were named UNESCO’s first-ever Goodwill Ambassadors for Youth and donated 1 million USD to launch the Global Youth Grant Scheme “Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being,” which has since funded 100 youth-led initiatives across 70 countries.

SEVENTEEN will continue their mission to uplift and inspire young people globally as they embark on their ‘SEVENTEEN WORLD TOUR [NEW_],’ kicking off September 13-14 in Korea, followed by stops in Hong Kong (September), five cities across the U.S. (October), and four major domes in Japan (November-December).

About SEVENTEEN

SEVENTEEN comprised of S.COUPS, JEONGHAN, JOSHUA, JUN, HOSHI, WONWOO, WOOZI, THE 8, MINGYU, DK, SEUNGKWAN, VERNON and DINO have rocketed to the forefront of the music scene fuelled by a fiercely independent spirit and a nonpareil in-house creative ecosystem. The 13-piece act’s innovative structure hinges on the interplay of three units: hip-hop, vocal, and performance. Holding the titles for the two best-selling K-pop releases of all time, FML (Apr 2023) and SEVENTEENTH HEAVEN (Oct 2023), both of which debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200, SEVENTEEN went on to solidify their global presence as FML (with more than 6.4 million copies sold) became the IFPI-certified top-selling album worldwide in 2023. They soared to new heights in 2024, making history as the first K-pop act to perform at Glastonbury and headline Lollapalooza Berlin, while also becoming UNESCO's first-ever Goodwill Ambassador for Youth. Crowned ‘Best Group’ at the 2024 VMAs and ‘Top K-pop Touring Artist’ at the 2024 BBMAs, SEVENTEEN became the highest-ranking K-pop act on IFPI Global Artist Chart 2024, propelled by the success of their 12th Mini Album SPILL THE FEELS. Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, the K-pop icon have blazed a new trail of reinvention with their 5th Studio Album HAPPY BURSTDAY which debuted at No.2 on the Billboard 200, tying their highest record on the chart.

About UNESCO

With 194 Member States, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization contributes to peace and security by leading multilateral cooperation on education, science, culture, communication and information. Headquartered in Paris, UNESCO has offices in 54 countries and employs over 2300 people. UNESCO oversees more than 2000 World Heritage sites, Biosphere Reserves and Global Geoparks; networks of Creative, Learning, Inclusive and Sustainable Cities; and over 13 000 associated schools, university chairs, training and research institutions, with a global network of 200 National Commissions. Its Director-General is Audrey Azoulay.

“Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed” – UNESCO Constitution, 1945.

More information: www.unesco.org

About JOOPITER

JOOPITER is a global digital-first commerce and content platform founded by Pharrell Williams. A space built for today’s collector by a team of collectors, curators and creators, JOOPITER honours rare cultural artifacts, their provenance and intrinsic relevance through auctions curated with knowledge and care. JOOPITER approaches the auction experience with access and resources that equally serve the budding new collector and seasoned collectors alike. Digitally, JOOPITER is a destination for community and commerce, a place for everyone to discover and explore, amplified by original editorial, archival imagery and bespoke video content that takes viewers deep into the world of auctioned objects and the story that binds them together.