Pharrell Williams is named a UNESCO goodwill ambassador

Pop star and fashion designer Pharrell Williams was named UNESCO’s goodwill ambassador for artistic education and entrepreneurship on Tuesday in Paris, continuing his cultural dominance of the French capital as Louis Vuitton menswear artistic director and performer at Notre Dame Cathedral’s reopening earlier this month.

Williams said he hoped to “deepen that sense of unity and togetherness” in work that “evens the odds for marginalized communities.”

He also spoke about his impoverished youth, adding: “Growing up in Virginia, never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be given an opportunity like this one.”

The role of goodwill ambassador for the Paris-based U.N. cultural agency involves promoting its initiatives that include protecting Indigenous cultures, advancing education and health care for women, raising awareness about genocide prevention and safeguarding cultural heritage.

The U.N. agency said Williams will be “a mentor and role model for young creators, particularly in Africa, where UNESCO supports