Pharrell Williams Named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts Education and Entrepreneurship

Pop star and fashion designer Pharrell Williams was named a UNESCO goodwill ambassador for arts education and entrepreneurship in Paris on Tuesday, continuing his cultural domination of the French capital as artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear and a performer at the reopening of Notre Dame Cathedral earlier this month.
Williams said he hopes to “deepen that sense of unity and solidarity” in a job that “levels the playing field for marginalized communities.”
He also spoke of his impoverished youth, adding, “Growing up in Virginia, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be given an opportunity like this.”
The Paris-based United Nations cultural agency’s role as a goodwill ambassador is to promote its initiatives that include protecting indigenous cultures, improving women’s education and health care, raising awareness about genocide prevention and safeguarding cultural heritage, the Associated Press reported.
The UN agency said Williams will be “a mentor and role model for young creatives, particularly in Africa, where UNESCO supports the development of cultural industries.”
Williams joins a list of goodwill ambassadors that includes American jazz musician Herbie Hancock, Brazilian artist Vik Muniz and Japanese filmmaker Naomi Kawase.
Williams has been particularly visible in Paris this year. Shortly before the Paris Olympics, his role as a Louis Vuitton menswear designer took center stage at a star-studded event at UNESCO headquarters. The show, celebrating the beauty of human skin, featured models wearing clothes in hues representing the various shades of humanity.
UNESCO leaders hope that Williams’ global influence and deep connections to fashion and music will bring new attention to the agency’s work.
Williams is American, and his selection as a goodwill ambassador could also highlight the United States’ readmission to UNESCO last year.
The US withdrawal under President Donald Trump cited alleged anti-Israel bias within the agency. The move followed a 2011 decision by UNESCO to include Palestine as a member state, which led the United States and Israel to stop funding the agency.
The US return under President Joe Biden was marked by a flag-raising ceremony attended by US first lady Jill Biden.