6 days ago
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- Japan Forward
Hello Kitty Joins the UN at Expo 2025 to Inspire a Better Future Sponsored
With Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai now in full swing, visitors from around the world are exploring pavilions filled with innovation and inspiration. One standout is the United Nations Pavilion, easily recognized by the colorful wheel of the Sustainable Development Goals at its entrance. On May 26, guests were delighted by a special surprise: Hello Kitty herself appeared, dressed in the vibrant colors of the SDGs. Hello Kitty arrives at the venue, greeting visitors at the UN Pavilion. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
One of Japan's most beloved characters, Hello Kitty has taken on a unique role in partnership with the United Nations. She is also a Special Supporter of the Expo 2025.
To learn more about this collaboration, I spoke with Melissa Fleming, the UN's Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. The entrance to the UN Pavilion. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.
"It's a chance to reflect, but also to reform and rebuild," Fleming said inside the UN Pavilion, where a timeline wall showcases the organization's decades of peacekeeping, humanitarian work, and other international collaboration.
It also highlights how the UN continues to evolve with the times.
"So much has advanced thanks to the UN," she added. "It keeps modernizing to address the challenges that we have in the present and in the future." Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications Melissa Fleming reflects on the UN's achievements. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
But there is a constant need for new ways to communicate the world's biggest challenges in relatable, hopeful ways. That's where Hello Kitty comes in.
"Hello Kitty is, for us, what we call an 'influencer,'" Fleming explained. "She is able to deliver messages about the SDGs in a way that is relatable to her fans. So it breaks out of our UN bubble and into audiences that are really important to us."
Since the launch of Sanrio's #HelloGlobalGoals project with the UN in 2019, Hello Kitty has featured in a series of informative videos, each focusing on a global goal. In them, she meets UN experts, visits field projects, and introduces topics like climate change, gender equality, and clean water — all in simple, engaging ways. Hello Kitty visits a junior high school in Bogor, Indonesia, in 2019 to see how students are learning about the Sustainable Development Goals. (© 2025 SANRIO CO., LTD.)
One moment that stood out to Fleming was Hello Kitty's visit to a maternal clinic in Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh, home to nearly a million refugees from Myanmar.
"She goes into a clinic where the UN Population Fund, UNFPA, has created this maternal health clinic," Fleming said. "And she describes how they work 24–7 to help women deliver healthy babies. She gave her fans a kind of insight. And it's very, very moving."
The theme of the UN Pavilion is "United for a Better Future" — a sentiment that mirrors Sanrio's own vision: "One World, Connecting Smiles."
When asked about the importance of unity today, Fleming didn't hesitate.
"It's absolutely essential. There are practically no problems in our world that can be addressed by one nation alone," she said. "They all have ripple effects, whether it is a disease, eradicated by WHO and by UNICEF through vaccines." UN's Melissa Fleming explains the power of unity as plushies of Hello Kitty and MYAKU-MYAKU, the official mascot of Expo 2025, look on. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
That spirit of partnership is captured in SDG 17: "Partnerships for the Goals." And unity doesn't just apply to countries — it also includes collaboration among industries.
This is where Hello Kitty plays a unique role.
She helps guide people into "places and also populations and issues that are not so easy to understand because they're very complex, but she makes it easy," said Fleming.
To better understand Hello Kitty's role as a social ambassador, I also spoke with Yuko Tsuji, Managing Executive Officer at Sanrio and director of the Global Sustainability Department, launched in 2021. Sanrio's Yuko Tsuji (far left) with United Nations' Melissa Fleming and Maher Nasser. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
"Working with the UN is incredibly meaningful for us," Yuko Tsuji said. "Sanrio is active in 130 countries and regions, so this partnership helps us tackle global challenges, not just domestic ones."
Sanrio's work with the UN builds on its long-standing philosophy, which closely aligns with the UN's mission.
"Our goal is to create as many smiles as possible and extend the circle of happiness even further afield," said Tsuji. "That's the heart of our vision, 'One World, Connecting Smiles.'"
Yuko Tsuji also emphasized the company's commitment to responsible communication.
"Hello Kitty has the power to engage people of all ages — from young children to the elderly. We hope she can inspire more people to start thinking about social issues, and even play a role in helping to solve them." Hello Kitty waves at visitors at the UN Pavilion. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
A family from Osaka touring the pavilions highlighted the impact of Hello Kitty. Two sisters held limited-edition Sanrio plush dolls dressed in outfits inspired by MYAKU-MYAKU, the Expo's official mascot. A peek into Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, featuring the iconic Grand Ring. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
When I asked the older sister which character she liked best, she smiled brightly. "My Melody is so stylish with her hood!" Two sisters holding Expo-themed Sanrio character plushies. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
In moments like this, as Fleming noted, joy often becomes the first step toward curiosity and empathy — and eventually, action.
"Hello Kitty has a certain optimism and can-do kind of attitude, and she makes you smile," Fleming said. "And even in difficult situations, she makes you feel like there is possibility."
At the Expo, Hello Kitty also appears in the Japan Pavilion's "Farm Area," one of three zones themed around the cycle of life.
One unexpected star of the exhibit? Algae. The Japan Pavilion with the Grand Ring in the background. (Provided by: Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry)
Often overlooked, algae are emerging as powerful contributors to sustainability. According to the pavilion, algae can produce 14 times more oil than sunflower seeds and generate 50 times more protein than beef using the same amount of water.
To highlight this potential, 32 Algae × Hello Kitty sculptures are displayed, each representing a different species among the more than 300,000 known types of algae. Hello Kitty sculptures representing 32 species of algae. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
A nearby sign reads: "Each algae is different. All are wonderful." The sculptures blend Hello Kitty's charm with scientific curiosity, encouraging visitors to learn more about nature's hidden heroes. Algae × Hello Kitty merchandise at the Japan Pavilion's official shop. (Photographer ©JAPAN Foward)
With just five years left until the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, the call to action is urgent.
"We will never get there just by working with governments," Fleming said. "We need to work with companies, [and] we need to work with civil society and also individuals." UN's Melissa Fleming on collaboration across industries. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
Sanrio is answering that call. "Sustainability is essential to achieving our vision," said Yuko Tsuji. "And I believe we can take on these goals through communication with our fans, especially by addressing the 10 key global issues identified as Sanrio Materiality and via social contribution initiatives like the Sanrio Nakayoku Project."
As we wrapped up, I asked Fleming what she hoped visitors would take away from the UN Pavilion.
"There is a place called the United Nations," she said. "[That] is not just a grouping of nations. It's written into its Charter — 'We the Peoples' — and it is there to promote peace, equality, and dignity on a healthy planet, for everyone."
And through Hello Kitty, that message is reaching generations most impacted by these issues — those who will become the leaders of tomorrow. Hello Kitty dressed in colors representing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in front of the United Nations Pavilion. (Photographer ©JAPAN Forward)
This article is published in cooperation with Sanrio Company Ltd. All Sanrio characters and character images: © 2025 SANRIO CO., LTD.
Author: Miruka Adachi
