G-Dragon named UNESCO World Heritage ambassador, vows 'message of peace'

G-Dragon, a member of K-pop group Big Bang whose real name is Kwon Ji-yong, has been appointed promotional ambassador for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.

The Cultural Heritage Administration announced Thursday that it had named G-Dragon ambassador for the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, to be held in Busan in July.

The agency said it chose G-Dragon because the values of his Justpeace Foundation — that "small acts of participation can change the world and create peace" — align with UNESCO's spirit of "international cooperation for peace." It added that he was the right person to bring global attention to the World Heritage Committee session, which will be held in South Korea for the first time.

G-Dragon will appear in promotional videos and events to spread the message of "peace through culture and participation."

His representatives said he hopes to deliver "a message of peace that many people can relate to and act on together, as world heritage is a shared asset that all of humanity must protect."

G-Dragon has built wide influence across the arts and culture beyond K-pop. In 2024, he donated copyright royalties to establish the Justpeace Foundation, a public-interest organization, and serves as its honorary chairman.

The Justpeace Foundation is a public-interest platform that addresses social issues through art and creativity, grounded in the values of justice and peace.

To mark the 48th World Heritage Committee session being held in South Korea, the foundation is partnering with UNESCO to launch a public participation campaign called "Heritage in Peace" on July 10. Donations raised through the campaign will go to the UNESCO World Heritage Fund and be used to protect heritage sites threatened by war, climate change and natural disasters.

The main session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will run from July 19 to July 29 at Bexco in Busan. It will be the first time the committee has convened in South Korea.