“Every Dream Matters”: SEVENTEEN’s Joshua Gives a Powerful Speech at UNESCO in Paris

Joshua, a member of the record-breaking global K-pop group SEVENTEEN, has captured the attention of world leaders after giving a deeply moving speech at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. Representing his group on the global stage, the 30-year-old star attended a special ceremony to support and bring courage to youth projects around the world.

Celebrating the Huge Success of the 'Going Together' Project

This year's special meeting was organized to review the real-world achievements of the “Going Together - For Youth Creativity & Well-being” program. This is a global grant initiative that funds social projects led by young people. Alongside Joshua, the gathering featured several global figures, including Åsa Regnér, the Deputy Director-General of UNESCO, and dozens of young community leaders from different continents.

"We Will Keep Shouting For Your Dreams": Joshua’s Message

Stepping up to the podium with confidence, Joshua gave a powerful speech highlighting his personal pride in watching the "Going Together" movement grow. He earned a huge round of applause from international diplomats after passionately stating:

"Every single dream held by a young person is incredibly precious and important. Watching your amazing journeys over the past two years has taught us a beautiful lesson: through trust in one another and the deep belief that we are always stronger when we stand together, we can travel so much further. Moving forward, SEVENTEEN promises to stand right by your side in the best way we know how. We will continue to sing for you, quietly cheer you on behind the scenes, and sometimes, we will stand up and loudly shout to the world that your dreams matter."

The other members of SEVENTEEN, who could not travel to France due to their tight album schedules, sent a wave of encouragement through a pre-recorded video message shown during the assembly. The group praised the young creators, saying: "Through your pure creativity, deep passion, and strong teamwork, you have shown true hope and endless possibilities to millions of people. You have officially proven that when young people are given trust and resources, they can build a much brighter future for everyone."

A Lasting 1 Million Dollar Legacy

The massive success of this global campaign is backed by a huge financial commitment from the group. When they were first named ambassadors, SEVENTEEN donated a staggering $1 million USD out of their own pockets to launch the Global Youth Grant Scheme with UNESCO. Over its first two years, the 100 youth-led projects funded by this grant directly improved the lives of over 21,000 people on the ground and reached over 1.2 million users through digital platforms.

To keep the momentum going, Joshua announced that 10 exceptional youth groups have been officially chosen to receive advanced, long-term funding. These fresh financial resources were raised last year through the “JOOPITER presents: sacai x SEVENTEEN” charity auction, where the members donated precious personal items to raise extra funds for the cause.

Closing out the ceremony, Khaled El-Enany, the Director-General of UNESCO, praised the group, noting: "UNESCO and SEVENTEEN share a unified goal to truly empower the youth of today. The 'Going Together' program has already shown a massive impact. This partnership will continue to provide incredible strength to UNESCO’s global efforts to fight inequalities, present real-world solutions, and build sustainable global peace."