Korean SM Entertainment renews its partnership with UNICEF to promote music education in Viet Nam

Seoul/Hanoi, 23 June 2022 -- The Korean Committee for UNICEF and SM Entertainment signed an agreement to support music education for vulnerable children in Asia. As part of the new agreement, SM Entertainment will continue to support Viet Nam to promote music education for ethnic minority children and children with disabilities.

Within the framework of the 'SMile for U' programme, the Korean Committee for UNICEF and SM Entertainment have been supporting the ‘Growing with Music' project in Viet Nam since 2017.  Carried out in Ha Noi, Da Nang and Kon Tum for the first years, it was extended to Dien Bien and Gia Lai provinces in 2019, when the second agreement was signed. Besides providing music instruments and renovating music classrooms for children in these provinces, the project also supported Viet Nam with the development of music curriculum and teacher training.

With the third agreement signed in Seoul, US$450,000 will be provided to Viet Nam by the year 2025 to promote music education for ethnic minority children and children with disabilities countrywide, including Gia Lai, Dien Bien, Kon Tum, Son Trang and Lao Cai provinces and Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi.

Mr. Lee Seong-soo, CEO of SM Entertainment, said, “As the ‘SMile for U’ campaign plans to further expand through this agreement, we expect to give dreams and hopes to more children through music.”

Mr. Lee Key Cheol, Executive Director of the Korean Committee for UNICEF said, “I would like to express my deepest gratitude to SM Entertainment, UNICEF Regional Goodwill Ambassador for East Asia and the Pacific Choi Si-won, artists Irene, and Jae-min for their strong support. Through music education, Vietnamese ethnic minority children gained the power to respect and protect their own culture. With the power of music, children with disabilities are healing their emotional wounds and nurturing their dreams of the future.”

Attending the signing ceremony in Seoul, UNICEF Regional Ambassador for East Asia and the Pacific Choi Si-won, said "I look forward to an effective collaboration between UNICEF and SM Entertainment in the future. I will continue to support and help more children to dream of a bright future through music”. Artist Irene said "through the 'SMile for U' campaign, we will work together to make the world a happy place for more children". Artist Jaemin said, "I would like to see more children being inspired by the power of music and be happy.”

Attending the signing ceremony from Ha Noi, Ms. Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative, said “today, we look back with pride on the degree to which that shared passion has reached thousands of children and ensured they benefit from an education that is lifted beyond the academic, to develop in every child a connection to the emotional, to the spiritual, to a different way to communicate, to bond, to build confidence and a pride in themselves”.

Over the past years, within the ‘Growing with Music’ project, more than 22,000 vulnerable children in Viet Nam have benefited from music education, approximately 1,000 music teachers have enhanced their skills in music training. The music curriculum developed as part of the project was well-received by the Ministry of Education and Training and will be used nationwide. The project is expected to reach 3.2 million children of ethnic minorities by 2025, of which 20,000 are children with disabilities.