UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

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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.

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.

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
Esther Coopersmith  United States 2009 [7]
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 [8]
Princess Firyal of Jordan  Jordan 1992 Promotion of the Education for All initiative, humanitarian actions, World Heritage, women's rights, especially Arab women [9]
Sen Genshitsu  Japan 2012
Nizan Guanaes  Brazil 2011 [10]
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 [11]
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 [12]
Jean Michel Jarre  France 1993 Protection of the environment (water, fight against desertification, renewable energies), youth and tolerance, safeguarding of World Heritage [13]
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. [14]
Deeyah Khan  Norway 2016 Artistic freedom and creativity [15]
Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière  France 2009 Education about History of Holocaust and genocide prevention. [16]
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco  Morocco 2001 Protection of childhood and women's rights [17]
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 [18]
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 [19]
Grand Duchess María Teresa of Luxembourg  Luxembourg 1997 Education, Women's rights, microfinance and campaign against poverty [20]
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 [21]
Vera Michalski-Hoffmann   Switzerland 2016
Hayat Sindi  Saudi Arabia 2012 Promotion of science education for Arab women [22]
Vik Muniz  Brazil 2011 [23]
Kitín Muñoz  Spain 1997 Protection and promotion of indigenous cultures and their environment [24]
Alexandra Ochirova  Russia 2012
Ute-Henriette Ohoven  Germany 1992 UNESCO Special Ambassador for Education of Children in Need [25]
Kim Phuc Phan Thi  Vietnam 1994 Protection and education for children, orphans and innocent victims of war [26]
Judith Pisar  United States 2017 UNESCO Special Envoy for Cultural Diplomacy
Susana Rinaldi  Argentina 1992 Street children, Culture of Peace [27]
Hedva Ser  France 2011 Cultural diplomacy [28]
Mintimer Shaïmiev  Russia 2017 UNESCO Special Envoy for Interculural 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 [29]
Marianna Vardinoyannis  Greece 1999 Protection of childhood; promotion of cultural Olympics; humanitarian relief for war victims [30]
Sunny Varkey  India 2012 Promoter of education. Currently in United Arab Emirates. [31]
Milú Villela  Brazil 2004 Voluntary Action and Basic Education in Latin America [32]
Forest Whitaker  United States 2011 UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation [33]

Former Ambassadors[edit]

Name Country Tenure as Ambassador Link
Ivonne A-Baki  Equador 2010-2020
Ara Abramian  Russia 2003 - 2022
Mehriban Aliyeva  Azerbaijan 2004 - 2022 Promotion and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, especially oral traditions and expressions [34]
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 [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".

External links[edit]