K-Pop girl group BLACKPINK is adding another accolade under their name after the United Nations appointed them as advocates for its Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), making them the first Asian act to reach such a milestone.
Welcome to our newest @SDGAdvocates: Nobel Peace Laureate @k_satyarthi, STEM activist @chica_rosadita, @Microsoft President @BradSmi & pop superstars @BLACKPINK!
— United Nations (@UN) September 17, 2021
They are joining a group of inspiring people raising awareness about the #GlobalGoals. https://t.co/oaMyDuphOL pic.twitter.com/YDhRAk69sk
The UN made the announcement on Saturday, September 18, posting on Twitter that the “Lovesick Girls” hitmakers had officially been appointed as SDG Advocates, joining 16 others in an esteemed list. Another tweet by the SDG Advocates gave a deeper glimpse into the girl group’s mission to unite people towards collective action.
“We truly believe in the importance of collective action. We will only be able to make a difference when we come together, for the good of everyone. Now is the time to act for a safer tomorrow and a better future,” the group’s statement read.
Our new SDG Advocate, K-POP superstar group @ygofficialblink #BLACKPINK is encouraging young people to take #ClimateAction and to bring positive change to the world. https://t.co/FZ99i0cWRk pic.twitter.com/RxwNz3cP10
— SDG Advocates (@SDGAdvocates) September 18, 2021
Reacting to their news, BLACKPINK said: “We are honored to be joining this journey towards a better world.”
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are a collection of 17 interconnected global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all.” Set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly, the SDGs are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.
BLACKPINK is now a part of a prestigious group of advocates that also includes film director and writer Richard Curtis, indigenous peoples advocate Hindou Ibrahim, politician and humanitarian Graça Machel, actress and producer Dia Mirza, children’s rights advocate Kailash Satyarthi, acclaimed activist Edward Ndopu, Microsoft president Brad Smith, social media influencer Valentina Muñoz Rabanal, economist and professor Jeffrey Sachs, and Hollywood celebrity Forest Whitaker.
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The list also includes world leaders, namely Ghana’s President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, Norway’s Prime Minister Erna Solberg, Belgium’s Queen Mathilde, Qatar’s Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, and Nigeria’s Muhammad Sanusi II.
This is also the second time that the K-Pop four-piece has been tapped by the United Nations after they were selected as advocates for the Conference on Climate Change (COP26) in 2020.
Art Daniella Sison