K-pop group SEVENTEEN gives a speech and performs at the UNESCO Youth Forum, becoming the first solo invited artist in its history.
November/15/2023 12:15
SEVENTEEN, as a K-pop artist for the first time, gave a speech at the UNESCO headquarters. On the 15th (Korean time), SEVENTEEN gave a speech at the "13th UNESCO Youth Forum" held at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. They attended the special session and performed along with a speech that lasted about an hour. The "UNESCO Youth Forum" is an event held every two years in conjunction with the UNESCO General Conference, where youth representatives from each country share their opinions and experiences on the challenges faced by the younger generation and seek solutions. This year, the 13th forum was held during the "42nd UNESCO General Conference," which invited heads of state representatives from UNESCO member states (194 countries), youth-related agencies under the United Nations, and representatives from governments and non-governmental organizations from various countries, becoming an important gathering to strengthen the solidarity of young people around the world. On this day, Sungwan, who gave the first speech, introduced his hometown, Jeju Island, and said, "I grew up with my own dreams on this beautiful but small island, far away from the capital Seoul. It was a dream to become a K-pop star, to move on to a bigger world, and to perform in front of many fans someday." He continued, "I walked around the sea and the small volcanic cones of Jeju Island, talking with friends about our dreams. As we shared our dreams, my heart was filled with the challenge and passion to definitely achieve them." Jun then spoke in Chinese, saying, "I think we were able to stand here today because we didn't give up when faced with difficult situations. The thirteen of us have come this far step by step, helping each other, and we will continue to move forward." He expressed his trust in the members, saying, "Even if there are many challenges and the future is uncertain, I believe that we can overcome them together." Woozi said, "There were comments that having thirteen members is too many for a boy group, but when we produce an album, we put each member's story into it. If even one person cannot relate during our regular group meetings, the song won't be completed. I think that music that everyone can't relate to is the same for the listeners. As you know, it's not easy to reach a consensus with so many members, but on the contrary, that process has made us become one." He emphasized that SEVENTEEN's music was born through the process of listening to various voices. Mingyu revealed that in the fall of 2016, the year after their debut, he received his first settlement money and donated goats named after the members to children in Tanzania. He said, "Since 2017, for seven years, we have been steadily donating to children's agencies and children's foundations every debut day." He added, "I sincerely hope that the younger generation will not lose their dreams or give up in any environment. I think 'sharing dreams' is 'sharing affirmation' and 'sharing hope'." Joshua explained, "Some of you may already know about the campaign called 'GOING TOGETHER.' It is the name of the education campaign that we started last year with the UNESCO Korea Commission." He expressed his gratitude to CARAT (the name of the fans) who actively participated in the campaign. He added, "The UNESCO headquarters, which showed interest in the campaign, proposed a business agreement with us and the UNESCO Korea Commission. As a result, 'GOING TOGETHER' has been given the opportunity to expand as a campaign for people all over the world." Finally, Vernon said, "I will introduce some lyrics from the five songs that we will perform today that contain the messages we want to deliver to the world." He concluded his speech by saying, "Let's open up a new future with the name 'Together.' If we have each other's interests, we can become everything that the world needs. When we are together, we will become the courage for many tomorrows. Even if we are in a relationship where we don't know each other, we can dance together and be happy. If we are together, we will never lose our way and we will be able to walk straight." After delivering the speech with the theme of "Youth Solidarity and Education Changing the Future of Youth and the Earth," they performed five songs in English versions: "_WORLD," "Darl+ing," "Headliner," "God of Music," and "Together." According to Pledis Entertainment, their agency, when SEVENTEEN's schedule became known, many fans flocked to the local airport to meet them. In addition, the SEVENTEEN special session at the "UNESCO Youth Forum," which recruited 550 attendees, attracted 3,600 people as soon as it opened and closed early. This is the largest number of applicants in the history of session events. In particular, it is the first time that a K-pop artist has been assigned a whole session at the level of the UNESCO General Conference. As a result, SEVENTEEN has earned the title of "the first solo invited artist in the history of the UNESCO Youth Forum." The main hall where they gave the speech is the largest and most prestigious space at the UNESCO headquarters. An official from HYBE commented, "It is very meaningful for Korean cultural artists who have sprouted the seeds of reconstruction through UNESCO's educational support about 70 years ago to send a message of hope through solidarity and education to young people around the world." They added, "SEVENTEEN is expected to expand their influence not only as artists but also as 'global speakers' representing the younger generation, solidifying their position as the top K-pop group." ・SEVENTEEN, additional concert in Bulacan for their Asian tour "FOLLOW" decided!・SEVENTEEN, Stray Kids, and TWICE's unit MISAMO to make their first appearance on the 74th NHK Red and White Song Battle! LE SSERAFIM, NiziU, and a total of 44 groups.
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