List of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors

This is a list of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors and Advocates, who work on behalf of the United Nations Children's Fund.

History and purpose of the role

Danny Kaye was the first to hold the position, with the title of Ambassador-at-Large granted in 1954. Other celebrities have followed, acting as international, regional or national ambassadors, depending on their profile, interests, and desired level of responsibility. The goal of the program is to allow celebrities with a demonstrated interest in UNICEF issues to use their fame to draw attention to important issues. This may take the form of public appearances and talks, visits to troubled regions, which draw attention from the media, and use of their political access to advocate UNICEF causes.

International ambassadors and advocates

UNICEF International Ambassador Mia Farrow holds an infant in Gonaïves in the aftermath of Hurricane Hanna.

In order of appointment:

2

Former ambassadors

Danny Kaye (1913–1987) was UNICEF's first celebrity ambassador.

In order of appointment:

2

Regional ambassadors

In order of appointment:

South Asia

• Aamir Khan (October 2014)
• Sachin Tendulkar (November 2013)

Central and Eastern Europe and the Commonwealth of Independent States

• Anatoly Karpov (June 1988)
• Milena Župančič (1998)

Latin America

• Diego Torres (November 2006)
• Ricardo Montaner (November 2007)

Middle East and North Africa

File:Mahmoud Kabil and team.jpg

Regional ambassador Mahmoud Kabil joins a game of tug-of-war at a UNICEF/Intersos outreach centre.

• Mahmoud Kabil (January 2004)
• Nancy Ajram (October 2009)

Eastern and Southern Africa

• Yvonne Chaka Chaka (April 2005)
• Zola (November 2006)
• Name Six (May 2007)
• Oliver Mtukudzi (June 2011)

Francophone Countries

• Patrick Poivre d'Arvor (January 2007)

East Asia and Pacific

Main article: UNICEF East Asia and Pacific Regional Office

• Miriam Yeung (October 2009)
• Merewalesi Nailatikau (February 2011)
• Aaron Kwok (October 2011)

National ambassadors

In order of appointment:

Afghanistan

• Raees Ahmadzai (September 2011)

Algeria

• Madjid Bougherra (January 2011)
• Salima Souakri (October 2011)

Andorra

• Gerard Claret (November 2010)
• Albert Llovera (November 2010)

Argentina

• Julián Weich (2000)
• Manu Ginóbili (August 2007)
• Natalia Oreiro (September 2011)

Armenia

• Alla Levonyan (April 2007)
• Gagik Martirosyan (June 2013)

Australia

• Ken Done (1988)
• Greig Pickhaver (1993)
• John Doyle (1993)
• Jimmy Barnes (2004)
• Geoffrey Rush (2006)
• Tara Moss (2008)
• The Wiggles (2008)
• Morris Gleitzman (2011)
• Brett Emerton (2012)
• Carrie Bickmore (2012)
• Steven Solomon (2013)
• Adam Liaw (August 2013)
• Callan McAuliffe (2013)

Austria

• Thomas Brezina (1996)
• Christiane Hörbiger (2003)

Azerbaijan

• Teymur Rajabov (May 2006)

Bangladesh

• Shakib Al Hasan (September 2013)
• Jewel Aich (September 2013)
• Arifa Zaman Moushumi (September 2013)

Belarus

• Max Mirnyi (November 2011)

Belgium

• Helmut Lotti (1997)
• Axelle Red (1998)
• Tatiana Silva (April 2014)
• Tom Waes (2014)

Benin

• Zeynab (September 2007)

Bolivia

• Juan Carlos 'Chavo' Salvatierra (May 2014)

Bosnia and Herzegovina

• Edin Džeko (November 2009)

Brazil

Main article: UNICEF in Brazil

• Renato Aragão (September 1991)
• Daniela Mercury (October 1995)
• Mônica (November 2007)
• Lázaro Ramos (July 2009)
• Felipe Massa, (October 2007)
• Mauricio de Sousa (November 2007)

Bulgaria

• Ani Salich (November 2006)
• Vladimir Ampov - Grafa (September 2014)

Canada

• Veronica Tennant (1992)
• Steve Barakatt (2006)
• Elena Grosheva (2006)
• Elizabeth Dallaire (2007)
• Mariatu Kamara (2008)
• Jan Lisiecki (2008)
• John Nsabimana (2008)
• Mariatu Kamara (2008)
• Solange Tuyishime (June 2010)
• Bayan Yammout (2011)
• Karina LeBlanc (2013)

Chile

• Iván Zamorano (1998)
• Benjamin Vicuña (January 2008)

China

• Maggie Cheung (April 2010)
• Yang Lan (April 2010)
• Chen Kun (April 2012)

Colombia

• Carlos Vives (August 2009)

Croatia

• Zlatan Stipišić Gibonni (July 2003)
• Bojana Gregorić (August 2004)
• Maja Vučić (November 2006)
• Slaven Bilić (February 2009)

Cuba

• Ernán López-Nussa (1995)
• La Colmenita (2007)
• Raúl Paz (2009)
• X-Alfonso (2010)
• Litz Alfonso (December 2011)

Cyprus

• Nasos Ktorides (February 2012)

Czech Republic

• Patrik Eliáš (August 2006)
• Michal Viewegh (February 2011)
• Jitka Čvančarová (February 2015)

Democratic Republic of Congo

• Lomana Trésor LuaLua (June 2009)

Denmark

• Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg
• Anders W. Berthelsen
• Malene Birger
• Bubber
• Sebastian Dorset
• Trine Dyrhold
• Kurt Flemming
• Peter Frödin
• Caroline Henderson
• Jesper Klein
• Mek Pek
• Michala Petri

Dominican Republic

• Jatnna Tavarez (October 2010)

Egypt

• Khaled Abol Naga (April 2007)

Estonia

• Maarja-Liis Ilus (1999)
• Eri Klas (1999)
• Erki Nool (1999)
• Children's Music Studio of Estonian Television (November 2009)

Ethiopia

• Aster Aweke (October 2010)

Finland

• Eija Ahvo (1986)
• Susanna Haavisto (1986)
• Katri Helena (1990)
• Iiro Rantala (1993)
• Anna Hanski (1993)
• Eija Vilpas (1993)
• Jorma Uotinen (1993)
• Juha Laukkanen (1994)
• Micke Rejström (1996)
• Eppu Nuotio (2002)
• Jyrki Linnankivi (2005)
• Axl Smith (2006)
• Iina Kuustonen (2012)

France

• Bernard Lama (2004)
• Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France (2007)
• Mimie Mathy (May 2009)
• Lilian Thuram (October 2010)
• Jean van de Velde (July 2012)
• Oxmo Puccino (October 2012)

Gambia

• Jaliba Kuyateh (December 2006)

Georgia

• Paata Burchuladze (December 2010)

Germany

• Joachim Fuchsberger (1984)
• Sabine Christiansen (1997)
• Eva Padberg (October 2012)
• Nina Ruge (November 2012)
• Dirk Nowitzki (September 2013)

Ghana

• Marcel Desailly (August 2007)

Greece

• Helene Glykatzi-Ahrweiler (May 1991)

Guinea Bissau

• Eneida Marta (December 2013)

Hong Kong

• Daniel Chan (June 2002)
• Gigi Leung (2002)
• Charlie Yeung (April 2004)
• Karen Mok (2004)
• Louis Koo (December 2007)
• Huang Xiaoming (August 2009)
• Eric Suen (August 2009)
• Vic Chou (August 2009)
• Wong Kam-Po (July 2011)
• Trey Lee Chui-yee (September 2012)
• Sarah Lee Wai-sze (March 2013)
• Guo Jing-jing (January 2014)

Hungary

• Krisztina D.Tóth (2014)

India

• Aamir Khan (November 2011)
• Shraddha Kapoor (November 2013)

Indonesia

Main article: UNICEF Indonesia

• Ferry Salim (2004)

Iran

• Mahtab Keramati (August 2006)

Iraq

• Kadhum Al-Sahir (May 2011)

Ireland

Main article: UNICEF Ireland

• Pierce Brosnan (2001)
• Cathy Kelly (2005)
• Stephen Rea (2005)
• Dustin the Turkey (2009)
• Donncha O'Callaghan (2009)
• Joe Canning (September 2010)
• Dermot Earley (September 2010)
• Rory McIlroy (March 2011)

Israel

• David Broza (June 2012)

Italy

• Simona Marchini (1987)
• Vigili del Fuoco (1989)
• Roberto Bolle (1999)
• Lino Banfi (2000)
• Francesco Totti (2003)
• Deborah Compagnoni (2003)
• Piccolo Coro dell' Antoniano (2003)
• Mario Porfito (2004)
• Maria Rosaria Omaggio (2005)
• Niky Francisco (2006)
• Paola Saluzzi (2006)
• Alberto Angela (September 2011)
• Angela Finocchiaro (May 2012)

Jamaica

• Shelly-Ann Fraser (February 2010)

Japan

• Agnes Chan Miling (1998)
• Shigeaki Hinohara (2007)

Kazakhstan

• Batyrkhan Shukenov (November 2009)

Kenya

• Effie Owour (1997)

Kuwait

• Suad Abdullah (November 2002)

Latvia

• Marija Naumova (December 2005)

Lithuania

• Julian Rachlin (January 2010)

Luxembourg

• Liz May (April 2010)

File:Lee Chong Wei2012.jpg

Lee at the 2012 London Olympics

UNICEF Malaysia Team

Malaysia

• Upin & Ipin (March 2013)

Mali

• Habib Koité (May 2010)

Mexico

• César Costa (August 2004)
• Julieta Venegas (September 2009)
• Javier Hernández (May 2012)
• Yolanda Andrade (November 2014)
• Thalía (November 2014)

Mongolia

• Tumur Ariuna (June 2001)
• Asashōryū Dagvadorj (November 2003)

Montenegro

• Rambo Amadeus (October 2006)

Morocco

• Hanane El Fadili (July 2010)

Namibia

• Frank Fredericks (September 2005)
• Agnes Samaria (September 2005)

Nepal

• Ani Choying Drolma (April 2014)

Netherlands

• Paul van Vliet (1992)
• Monique van de Ven (1996)
• Sipke Jan Bousema (2002)
• Trijntje Oosterhuis (2004)
• Jörgen Raymann (2005)
• Edwin Evers (2005)
• Renate Verbaan (2010)
• Claudia de Breij (April 2012)
• Ranomi Kromowidjojo (June 2013))

New Zealand

• Roger Hall
• Alison Mau
• Mike Roberts
• Hayley Westenra (2003)
• Gareth and Joanne Morgan (2007)
• Amber Peebles (2008)
• Jay Reeve (2008)
• Jonah Lomu (November 2011)

Nigeria

• Nwankwo Kanu (June 2005)

Norway

• Ole Gunnar Solskjær (2001)
• Sissel Kyrkjebø (November 2005)
• Kjetil André Aamodt (2007)

Pakistan

• Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood (Strings) (September 2005)

Paraguay

• Menchi Barriocanal (July 2005)

Peru

• Gian Marco Zignago (February 2006)
• Dina Páucar (May 2008)
• Gastón Acurio (August 2009)
• Mónica Sánchez (September 2011)

Philippines

Main article: UNICEF Philippines

• Gary Valenciano (1997)

Poland

• Majka Jeżowska (2003)
• Małgorzata Foremniak (2006)
• Natalia Kukulska (2006)
• Artur Żmijewski (2007)
• Magdalena Różczka (2010)
• Robert Lewandowski(2014)

Portugal

• Pedro Couceiro (April 1995)
• Luís Figo (2003)
• Mariza (October 2005)

Romania

• Andreea Marin (December 2006)
• Gheorghe Hagi (September 2008)
• Smiley (singer) (November 2013)

Russia

• Oleg Gazmanov (2003)
• Oxana Fedorova (2007)

Serbia

• Emir Kusturica (February 2002)
• Aleksandar Đorđević (January 2005)
• Ana Ivanovic (September 2007)
• Jelena Janković (December 2007)
• Novak Djokovic (August 2011)

Slovakia

• Kamila Magálová (1995)
• Stanislav Štepka (2001)
• Martin Pyco Rausch (2011)

Slovenia

• Lado Leskovar (1998)
• Marko Simeunovič (2002)
• Zlatko Zahovič (2002)

South Africa

• Quinton Fortune (March 2004)
• Gavin Rajah (August 2007)

South Korea

• Ahn Sung-ki (May 1993)
• Hwang Byung-Ki (December 1996)
• Sohn Pum-Soo (October 1999)
• Myung-wha Chung (December 1999)
• Mee-Hwa Kim (December 1999)
• Lee Byung-hun (2003)
• Won Bin (2007)
• Kim Rae-won (2007)
• Richard Yongjae O'Neill (2008)
• Lee Bo-young (2008)
• Shin Kyung-sook (2012)
• Kim Hye-soo (2012)

Spain

• Joan Manuel Serrat (March 1998)
• Emilio Aragón (March 2000)
• Imanol Arias (May 2000)
• Pedro Delgado (September 2000)
• Ana Duato (December 2000)
• Teresa Viejo (December 2000)
• Eusebio Sacristán (December 2002)
• Pau Gasol (May 2003)
• Silvia Abascal (September 2003)
• María Bayo (January 2004)
• Fernando Alonso (March 2005)
• Rafael Guijosa (March 2005)
• Los Lunnis (March 2005)
• Sergio Ramos (June 2014)
• Jose Manuel Calderón (August 2014)

St. Lucia

• Taj Weekes (November 2013)

Sweden

File:Eva Rose Unicef.jpg

Swedish UNICEF national ambassador Eva Röse (right) during a visit to India.

• Lill Lindfors (October 1998)
• Liza Marklund (December 2004)
• Kajsa Bergqvist (October 2005)
• Eva Röse (2007)
• Mark Levengood (2008)
• David Hellenius (April 2011)

Switzerland

• Kurt Aeschbacher (October 2004)
• Anjelina Jolie (Nov 2005)
• Shruti Hassan (March 2013)
• B.Sagar (March 2015)
• Dr.Uddan (March 2015)

New upcommers of 2015

Thailand

• Anand Panyarachun (January 1996)

Turkey

• Gülsin Onay (November 2003)
• Tayfun Talipoğlu (November 2006)
• Müjdat Gezen (November 2007)
• Ayşe Kulin (November 2007)
• Yildiz Kenter (November 2007)
• İbrahim Kutluay (March 2008)
• Türkan Şoray (March 2010)
• Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ (March 2011)
• Tuba Büyüküstün (May 2014 )

United Kingdom

Main article: UNICEF UK

Matt Dawson in Johannesburg with pupils of a UNICEF-funded school.

• Manchester United F.C. (1999)
• Robbie Williams (2000)
• Jemima Khan (2001)
• Andrew O'Hagan (2001)
• Martin Bell (2001)
• Alex Ferguson (2002)
• Trudie Styler (2004)
• Paul Clark (2004)
• Ewan McGregor (2004)
• Elle Macpherson (2005)
• James Nesbitt (2006)
• Ryan Giggs (2006)
• Claudia Schiffer (2006)
• Charley Boorman (2008)
• David Puttnam (2009)
• Duncan Bannatyne (2009)
• Matt Dawson (2009)
• Cat Deeley (2009)
• Eddie Izzard (July 2013)
• Chris Hoy (October 2013)
• Tom Hiddleston (2013)
• Michael Sheen (October 2014)
• Emma Bunton (2014)

United States of America

Main article: U.S. Fund for UNICEF

• Laurence Fishburne (1996)
• Sarah Jessica Parker (1998)
• Marcus Samuelsson (2000)
• Téa Leoni (2001)
• Alyssa Milano (2003)
• Lucy Liu (2005)
• Dayle Haddon (2007)
• Joel Madden (2008)
• Selena Gomez (2009)
• Vern Yip (November 2010)
• Angie Harmon (January 2013)
• Tyson Chandler (November 2013)

Uruguay

• Diego Forlán
• Natalia Oreiro (September 2011)

Venezuela

• FESNOJIV (November 2004)
• Omar Vizquel (December 2008)
• Édgar Ramírez (November 2010)
• Alejandro Cañizales (July 2011)

Vietnam

• Vũ Nguyễn Hà Anh (August 2010)
• Nguyen Xuan Bac (September 2012)

Zimbabwe

• Prudence Mabhena (October 2011)

See also

• FAO Goodwill Ambassadors
• UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
• UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
• UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
• UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador
• WHO Goodwill Ambassador

External links

• UNICEF Goodwill ambassadors
• Home page UNICEF
• The UN's goodwill hunters, BBC News, 20 March 2000