News
Discover the winners of the UNESCO x SEVENTEEN ‘Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being’ grant scheme
UNESCO and SEVENTEEN, Goodwill Ambassador for Youth, launched a call for innovative youth-led projects across the globe as part of the ‘Going Together – For Youth Creativity and Well-Being’ initiative. One hundred proposals from young leaders, entrepreneurs and youth organizations were selected by a jury to help them create and implement solutions on the ground.
The call reached over 2300 applicants from 140 countries. This clearly shows young people's commitment to social engagement and their need for support to achieve their goals and create change.
These 100 grantees are driving remarkable projects that address critical issues like inequality in sports, mental well-being, and lack of access to the arts and music, creating ripple effects of social change in their communities and beyond. Empowering young voices to shape solutions is at the heart of this inspiring initiative, championed by UNESCO and SEVENTEEN.
The creative spirit and sense of responsibility that permeate these youth-led projects have been an inspiration to us all. We are excited to see how the collective experience will help build youth communities and empower many more like ourselves to achieve their dreams.
Upon their nomination as the first-ever UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Youth in June 2024, SEVENTEEN donated 1 million USD to support this joint grant scheme.
This programme will help participants reach their full potential. Each participant receives a grant together with training sessions and mentoring throughout the development of their projects. The programme starts with a capacity-strengthening phase to support the grantees to make a significant impact with their projects.
The one hundred best proposals were selected by a global jury composed of representatives of UNESCO and five young leaders from around the world, namely:
ղ⳾’a Abu Ayyash (Jordan), 13th UNESCO 91鶹Ʒ participant
Joy Chiadika-Nwaeze (Nigeria), UNESCO Meaningful Youth Engagement young trainer
Vicky Laprade (Canada), 13th UNESCO 91鶹Ʒ participant
Esteban Silva (Argentina), ‘Impulso Joven’ Nestlé x UNESCO Grant Scheme participant
Kenta Sayama (Japan), 13th UNESCO 91鶹Ʒ participant
Who are the grantees?
One hundred grantees will implement projects aiming to address challenges related to three topics:
Promoting youth confidence and resilience through music, arts, and sports
Akomkwa Bujiriri Osée (Osée Elektra), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Youth Rise through Arts
Albaraa Albadowi, Oman, Creative Connections: Nurturing Minds, Building Communities
Amine Kasmi, Morocco, House of Art
Amoun Aden, Somalia, Kick Start for Equality - Using Sports and Arts for Girls Rights
Anas Mahdad, Morocco, Empowering Youth through Hip Hop Dance
Anubhav Ghimire, Nepal, Mural Safety: Art for Disaster Preparedness
Arcadius Muntean Florin, Romania, Concrete Spot Cultural Youth Center
Beatrice Phiri, Guinea, Sports for Environmental and Social Change
Botame Peter Ikome, Cameroon, Echoes of The Forest: Amplifying the Voices of Marginalized Baka Youth through Creative Arts and Sports
Chrispin John, Malawi, The Science of Play Project for Children in Nursery and Primary Schools
Dawsher Charles, Trinidad and Tobago, Resiliently Me
Denia Kopita, Greece, SkaterCreators
Emeline Laude, France, Run to Youth Conferences
Hamid Adim Othman, Libya, Sodur Project for Preserving Toubou Musical Heritage
Jonathan Meneses Valencia, Colombia, ♪♫DO RE MI - MUSIC CAMP
Justine Linton, Panama, Between Crochet Needles
Keren Hellery, Indonesia, Beyond Football
Lloyd Kings Chunga, Malawi, Kwathu Sport
Lochana Adivarekar, India, Swatva: It Starts with Me
Max Doll, United States of America, Dare to Be Aware: Presented by OYLPN
Natasha Sharma, India, Youth Arts Mentorship Program
Natasha Tanjutco, Philippines, Islands of Imagination Festival
Paul Kiserem, Kenya, Music for Change, Education and Empowerment for the Youth
Sara Matos, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), There Is More to Dream
Sarah Moore, Guatemala, Creative Roots: A Community Arts and Music Program
Sounou Gloria Djromahouton, Benin, In Tune with Our Vibes
Tooba Dawood, Canada, Winter Begins
Yibeth Morales Ayala, New Zealand, Refugee Youth Active and Empowered
Building creative communities together with youth
Adigao Alvin Wenia, Ghana, Seeds for Change
Ahmed Saad, Egypt, Creativity and Innovation in Education Program
Alejandra Rocha Fernández, Mexico, Colour and Courage
Ali Raid, Iraq, Montawi
Andy Dyer Moreno Salazar, Ecuador, Knitting in Community: Empowerment of Young Women in Talahua for the Preservation and Revitalization of Knitting as a Pillar of Cultural Identity and Community Cohesion
Brandy Vicent Meshack, United Republic of Tanzania, GOING TOGETHER – For Youth Creativity and Well-being
Cherelys Dwarka Sing, Suriname, Project LEAP: Learning, Empowering, Achieving Progress
Dobre Cosmin, Romania, Non-Formal Education Caravan (NFE)
Dylan Humphrey, United States of America, Do-Ology
Ebram Tawfik, Egypt, Empower Her Arts
Ekaette Frank, Nigeria, FACE
Eliézer Jefte Cabadi Pinto, Angola, Healing the Youth
Emmana Jeffers, Dominica, Rise & Create: Youth Empowerment through Creative Arts Management and Business
Felicidad Elva Huayta Ramos, Bolivia (Plurinational State of), Ecological Restoration
Florencia Iglesias, Argentina, Journey to The Center of Neighborhood
Ghislain Irakoze, Rwanda, Resiliency through Ages
Kimberly Louis, Nigeria, Trash to Art Project
Kymara Elliott, Jamaica, Labour of Love 3.0
Laiza de Carvalho Lima, Brazil, Blue Flora Cooperative Project
Linda Wu, Canada, ThriveTogether
Lizeth Estefania Garcia Salazar, Ecuador, Creating the Future with Waste
Mardhia Jamal Hussein Al Zahawi, Iraq, Building Creative Communities through Fostering Youth Leadership and Innovation
Mardin Aso Mohammed, Iraq, Youth Voices: Building Strength and Unity
Maria Claudia Lira Perez, Peru, CITE Resilient City Urban Lab
Mary Rose Pagador, Philippines, Project Palabasa
Megi Marku, Albania, Building a Network of Young Leaders: Empowering Albanian Youth for Mental Health Advocacy and Action
Mike Odhiambo, Kenya, I Owe Lamu.
Mohamed Ghanem, Egypt, Unify
Mohammed Zaid, Libya, LYBOTICS
Nada Fayed, Egypt, Al-Arish Castle Revitalization Project in North Sinai
Nejat Nejib, Ethiopia, Honey, We’re in This Together: Empowering Youth through Apiculture
Prabin Chaudhary, Nepal, One Health Journey through Installation Arts and Visual Storytelling in Indigenous Tharu Community
Regita Gurung, Bhutan, Going Bhutan: A GSTH Project
Roberta Bojang, Germany, Journey of The Broken and The Hopeful II
Sama Lesly Tankfu, Cameroon, Natura project
Uyen Nguyen, United States of America, HuLib
Warren Milton Iacoccca, Indonesia, Fearless Creative Community - Be Fearless
Zhirui Chen, United States of America, HeArt Territory - Bridging Culture with Art Education
Supporting youth mental health and well-being
Abdellatif Belmkadem, Morocco, Tech4Wellbeing
Alai Syafina, Brunei Darussalam, Empathy on the Move
Ammaarah Arendse, South Africa, Psychosocial Support Programme
Andrei Ioan Munteanu, Romania, YouthBank Academy #IamWellWithMyself
Anusha Chhetri, Nepal, Let me be the CHANGE
А辱Ա Babayan, Armenia, Creative Horizons in Armenia: Empowering Youth through Arts and Culture (EYAC)
Bich Ha Dong, Canada, Smile Flowers
Chanakarn Kachonseree, Thailand, Mind Dream
Chaneil Imhoff, Antigua and Barbuda, Wadadli Initiative for Self-care and Healing (WISH)
Esraa Sayed Abd Elgaber, Egypt, Lazhu
Hirchell Richards, Grenada, STAY-Mind Matters: Empowering Mental Wellness
Inuel Luís Sousa da Trindade, Sao Tome and Principe, Community+
Jana Tancevska, North Macedonia, Hike and Heal (Nature’s Path to Wellbeing of 100 Young Women in N. Macedonia)
Jean Rousselet Saint-Firmin, Haiti, Support Project for Improving Mental Health Care and Well-Being for Young People in Petit-Goave
Jessy N. Marine, France, Skate for Balance
Johanna Alazar, Sweden, Mirrors
Jonathan Brooks, United States of America, Social Media Education and Advocacy for Youth
Juliette Gudknecht, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Amplifying Autistic Wellbeing: Listening to the Voices of the High-Support Needs Autistic Community
Lizeth Monroy Hernández, Mexico, Menstrual Education for Educators: Transforming Rural Communities
Muhammad Hamail Zaigham, Pakistan, Empower Through Art: Bridging Generations in Rural Pakistan
Marion Abilene R. Navarro, Philippines, Wellbeing School
Maxime Zadel, Netherlands (Kingdom of the), Own Power Food
Md Rehanuz Zaman, Bangladesh, Mind First
Meriem Mihoub, Tunisia, Cultural Well-being: Integrating Mental Health and Heritage on Djerba Island
Mirriam Sikalume, Zambia, DeafSmart Initiative
Noor Azaiez, Tunisia, PsyQuilibre: Empowering Youth through Creative Mental Health Care
Rean Wirianda, Indonesia, ART+ (Art for Recovery and Thriving on “Positive” Young People)
Ruvimbo Nadine Shenje, Zimbabwe, Reviving Gen Z (RGZ)
Sahr Sandi-Gbetuwa, Sierra Leone, SoundWell: Empowering Futures in Silence - A Comprehensive Approach to Sexual Reproductive Health Education and Mentorship for Youth with Hearing Impairment in Aberdeen Cockle Bay
Sirisay Vongsamphanh, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Youth Mental Resilience Camp
Sophia Jone Stalin Suresh, United Arab Emirates, The HOPE Project
Susana Moreno, Portugal, TRIPLE R
Talaimanu Peneueta, Samoa, SVSG Youth Empowerment Program
ճéDZ Jarbath, Haiti, Makerlab Culture Youth and Girl
See also
Learn more about this initiative
More about the Global Youth Grant Scheme
More about UNESCO’s Youth Programme