UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador is an official postnominal honorific title, title of authority, legal status and job description assigned to those goodwill ambassadors and advocates who are designated by the United Nations. UNESCO goodwill ambassadors are celebrity and expert advocates of UNESCO (not diplomatic ambassadors) who use their talent or fame to spread the UNESCO ideals, especially attracting media attention. Other specialized categories of advocates include UNESCO Artist for Peace, UNESCO Champion for Sport and UNESCO Special Envoy.

Nasser David Khalili awarded UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador title by Irina Bokova
Director-General Irina Bokova with presenting the Goodwill Ambassador title certificate to the Honorable Nasser David Khalili to recognize his contributions and interests with UNESCO.

Current UNESCO goodwill ambassadors

edit

The following is a list of UNESCO goodwill ambassadors along with the projects and activities they support:[1]

Name Country Date Projects and Activities Supported[2] Link
Xueli Abbing   Netherlands 2022 Fight against discriminations and racism
Valdas Adamkus   Lithuania 2003 Construction of Knowledge Societies [1]
Seidnaly Sidahmed Alphadi   Niger 2016 for African innovation and creation
Christiane Amanpour   United Kingdom 2015 Freedom of expression and journalist safety [2]
Yalitza Aparicio   Mexico 2019 Indigenous Peoples [3]
Metin Arditi    Switzerland 2014 UNESCO Honorary Ambassador and Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue
Chantal Biya   Cameroon 2008 Education and Social Inclusion [3]
Sergey Bubka   Ukraine 2003 for Sport
Laura Welch Bush   United States 2003[4] UNESCO Honorary Ambassador for the Decade of Literacy in the context of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003–2012) [4]
Claudia Cardinale   Italy 2000 Promotion of women's rights, especially for women in the Mediterranean; Environment issues [5]
Princess Caroline of Hanover   Monaco 2003 Protection of children and the family, empowerment of women and girls in Africa [6]
Mauro Colagreco   Argentina 2022 Biodiversity
Princess Dana Firas   Jordan 2017 Heritage protection and preservation _
Rossy de Palma   Spain 2022 Cultural Diversity
Tan Dun   China 2013
Viatcheslav Fetissov   Russia 2004 for Sport
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir   Iceland 1998 Promotion of linguistic diversity, women's rights, education [7]
Princess Firyal of Jordan   Jordan 1992 Promotion of the Education for All initiative, humanitarian actions, World Heritage, women's rights, especially Arab women [8]
Sen Genshitsu   Japan 2012
Nizan Guanaes   Brazil 2011 [9]
Herbie Hancock   United States 2011
Bahia Hariri   Lebanon 2000 Preservation of World Heritage, education, culture, women's rights and sustainable development in the Arab world [10]
Vitaly Ignatenko   Russia 2008 Building of the capacities of the Russian language journalists and promotion of the free circulation of ideas in the Russian-speaking world [11]
Jean Michel Jarre   France 1993 Protection of the environment (water, fight against desertification, renewable energies), youth and tolerance, safeguarding of World Heritage [12]
Beate Klarsfeld and Serge Klarsfeld   France 2015 UNESCO Honorary Ambassadors and Special Envoys for Education about the History of Holocaust and Genocide Prevention
Naomi Kawase   Japan 2021 for Cultural and Creative Industries
Nasser David Khalili   United Kingdom 2012 Promotion of intercultural dialogue and promotion of peace through education and culture. [13]
Deeyah Khan   Norway 2016 Artistic freedom and creativity [14]
Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière   France 2009 Education about History of Holocaust and genocide prevention. [15]
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco   Morocco 2001 Protection of childhood and women's rights [16]
Princess Laurentien of the Kingdom of the Netherlands   Netherlands 2009 UNESCO Special Envoy on Literacy for Development
Peng Liyuan   China 2014 UNESCO Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girl's and Women’s Education
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand   Thailand 2005 Empowerment of Minority Children and the Preservation of their Intangible Cultural Heritage [17]
Jean Malaurie   France 2007[5] In charge of arctic polar issues, promoting environmental issues and safeguarding the culture and knowledge of the peoples of the Arctic [18]
Grand Duchess María Teresa of Luxembourg   Luxembourg 1997 Education, Women's rights, microfinance and campaign against poverty [19]
Denis Matsuev   Russia 2014 Promotion of musical education and his efforts to support young talent through the New Names Foundation.
Maria Francesca Merloni   Italy 2017
Oskar Metsavaht   Brazil 2011 [20]
Vera Michalski-Hoffmann    Switzerland 2016
Hayat Sindi   Saudi Arabia 2012 Promotion of science education for Arab women [21]
Vik Muniz   Brazil 2011 [22]
Kitín Muñoz   Spain 1997 Protection and promotion of indigenous cultures and their environment [23]
Alexandra Ochirova   Russia 2012
Ute-Henriette Ohoven   Germany 1992 UNESCO Special Ambassador for Education of Children in Need [24]
Kim Phuc Phan Thi   Vietnam 1994 Protection and education for children, orphans and innocent victims of war [25]
Judith Pisar   United States 2017 UNESCO Special Envoy for Cultural Diplomacy
Susana Rinaldi   Argentina 1992 Street children, Culture of Peace [26]
Hedva Ser   France 2011 Cultural diplomacy [27]
Mintimer Shaïmiev   Russia 2017 UNESCO Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue
SA Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser   Qatar 2003 Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education
Jaqueline Silva   Brazil 2009
Hayat Sindi   Saudi Arabia 2012 Promotion de l'enseignement scientifique pour les femmes arabes
Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan   Jordan 2017 Pour la science au service de la paix
Salif Traoré   Ivory Coast 2012
Zurab Tsereteli   Georgia 1996 Cultural and artistic projects [28]
Marianna Vardinoyannis   Greece 1999 Protection of childhood; promotion of cultural Olympics; humanitarian relief for war victims [29]
Sunny Varkey   India 2012 Promoter of education. Currently in United Arab Emirates. [30]
Milú Villela   Brazil 2004 Voluntary Action and Basic Education in Latin America [31]
Forest Whitaker   United States 2011 UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation [32]

Former Ambassadors

edit
Name Country Tenure as Ambassador Link
Ivonne A-Baki   Ecuador 2010-2020
Ara Abramian   Russia 2003 - 2022
Mehriban Aliyeva   Azerbaijan 2004 - 2022 Promotion and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, especially oral traditions and expressions [33]
José Antonio Abreu   Venezuela 1998 - 2018
Paul Ahyi   Ivory Coast 2009 - 2010
Virgilijus Alekna   Lithuania 2007 - 2020
Alicia Alonso   Cuba 2002 - 2019
Patrick Baudry   France 1999 - 2020
Pierre Bergé   France 1992 - 2017
Montserrat Caballé   Spain 1994 - 2018
Pierre Cardin   France 1991 - 2020
Maha al-Khalil Chalabi   Lebanon 2016 - 2022 Heritage protection and preservation in Tyre
Marin Constantin   Romania 1992–2011 [34]
Esther Coopersmith   United States 2009–2024 [35]
Cheick Modibo Diarra   Mali 1998 - 2020
Miguel Angel Estrella   Argentina 1989 - 2022 Promotion of Culture of Peace and tolerance through music [36]
Juan Diego Florez   Peru 2012 - 2020
Sheikh Ghassan I. Shaker   Oman 1989–2011 [37][38]
Ivry Gitlis   Israel 1998 - 2020
Christine Hakim   Indonesia 2008 - 2020
Ikuo Hirayama   Japan 1989–2009 [39]
S. Exc. M. Mwai Kibaki   Kenya 2005 - 2022 For Water in Africa
Lily Marinho   Brazil 1999–2011 [40]
Rabah Madjer   Algeria 2011 - 2020
Nelson Mandela   South Africa 2005 - 2013
Rigoberta Menchú Tum   Guatemala 1996 - 2020
Yehudi Menuhin    Switzerland
  United Kingdom
1992–1999 [6]
Cristina Owen-Jones   Italy 2004 - 2020
Renzo Piano   Italy ........ - 2014
Samuel Pisar   United States ........ - 2015
Ivo Pogorelić   Croatia
  Serbia
1988–2009 [7][8]
Mstislav Rostropovich   Russia 1998–2007 [6]
Yazid Sabeg   France 2010 - 2020
Serik Sapiyev   Kazakhstan 2013 - 2020
Giancarlo Elia Valori   Italy 2001 - 2022 Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ United Nations, Staff (3 June 2021). "List of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, Artists for Peace and Champions". UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors. United Nations. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  2. ^ UNESCO.org: Projects and activities supported by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors
  3. ^ "Mexican actress Yalitza Aparicio named UNESCO goodwill ambassador for indigenous peoples", ABC 7, 4 October 2019
  4. ^ UNESCO.org: Laura Bush named Honorary Ambassador, 13-02-2003
  5. ^ UNESCO.org: Professor Jean Malaurie joins ranks of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, 17-07-2007
  6. ^ a b Brochure of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors, page 30
  7. ^ "Ivo Pogorelich". Xavier University.
  8. ^ "biography – Ivo Pogorelich".
edit