Who’s Who: Biographical Notes
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Messengers of Peace
Muhammad Ali (no picture available)
Known worldwide as "the Greatest", three-time World Heavyweight Champion
boxer Muhammad Ali (USA) was appointed UN Messenger of Peace in 1998. Spending most of his
time outside the boxing ring devoted to the pursuit of peace, Mr. Ali first came to the UN
in 1978 to address the UN Special Committee against Apartheid with a message of peace and
spirituality. He brings people from all races together by preaching "healing" to
everyone irrespective of race, religion or age. Over the years Mr. Ali has been a
relentless advocate for people in need and a significant humanitarian actor in the
developing world, supporting relief and development initiatives and hand-delivering food
and medical supplies to hospitals, street children and orphanages in Africa and Asia.
Anna Cataldi (no picture available)
Author and journalist Anna Cataldi (Italy) was appointed UN Messenger of Peace in
1998. She is the author of "Letters from Sarajevo" which chronicled the impact
of war on Bosnia’s children. To mark the 50th anniversary of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, Ms. Cataldi initiated a project to create and distribute a
"passport" version of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights for children. As
a human rights advocate, she has traveled to a number of conflict zones where the UN is
engaged, including the Balkans, Central Africa and Afghanistan.
Michael Douglas |
Film and television actor and producer Michael Douglas (USA) was appointed Messenger of Peace in 1998. He has demonstrated a strong commitment to disarmament, including nuclear non-proliferation and stemming the tide of small arms and light weapons. Mr. Douglas has promoted abolition of nuclear weapons as a moral imperative. He has also spoken out in favour of greater controls over the illegal possession and circulation of small arms and light weapons. He has helped promote an innovative UN programme of weapons recovery in Albania, encouraging people at the community level voluntarily to return arms in exchange for development assistance. |
Enrico Macias |
Appointed Messenger of Peace in 1997, singer-composer Enrico Macias (France) is a human rights activist, supporting many NGOs and humanitarian grass roots movements. His music reflects his strong commitment to the promotion of human rights, peace and tolerance, and draws attention to the plight of refugees around the globe. Born in Algeria, Mr. Macias knows the refugee’s pain of the loss of country, family and friends. He left his country as a refugee and immigrated to France more than 30 years ago. In 1979 Egyptian President Anwar Sadat invited Mr. Macias to perform a peace concert in Egypt soon after Egypt and Israel had signed their historic peace treaty. |
Goodwill Ambassadors
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Harry Belafonte |
A strong advocate for human rights, entertainer Harry
Belafonte (USA) was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1987. Throughout his life Mr.
Belafonte has publicly fought injustice. He was at the forefront of the struggle for civil
rights in his country and was a central figure of the USA for Africa effort,
singing on the 1986 single We are the World. Mr. Belafonte has supported
UNICEF’s efforts for many years by organizing and performing in benefit concerts and
fund-raising events, making country visits and speaking out for children. His efforts with
the United States Congress to influence policies that benefit children have been important
to UNICEF and to the cause of children everywhere. |
Mia Farrow |
Award-winning actress Mia Farrow (USA) made her stage debut
in 1963. She has shown her talents on television, in the theatre and in such notable films
as Rosemary’s Baby, The Great Gatsby and Death on the Nile. UNICEF
appointed her as Special Representative at the first Global Polio Partners Summit
held at UN Headquarters on 27 September 2000. Ms. Farrow, who had polio as a child and
whose 12-year-old son, Thaddeus, has also contracted the disease, dedicates much of her
time to humanitarian causes, especially those relating to children. Her humanitarian work
has taken her to Africa. While in South Africa, during 1997 and 1998, she traveled with
Nelson Mandela to support the work of The Nelson Mandela Foundation Children’s
Fund. |
Johann Olav Koss |
Winner of three Olympic Gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer
Olympics, speed skater Johann Olav Koss (Norway) was named UNICEF Special Representative
for Sports on 19 December 1994. Mr. Koss has been a strenuous and highly visible advocate
for UNICEF’s work on behalf of children everywhere, emphasizing the particular needs
of disabled children and those affected by war. He has worked tirelessly to improve the
lives of children around the world—in Bosnia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, and
Vietnam—by introducing them to sports. In 1994, Mr. Koss retired from speed skating,
yet his humanitarian efforts have not slowed down. A member of the International Olympic
Committee, he is also Chairperson of Olympic Aid, a humanitarian organization that
provides relief for children in war-torn countries. |
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi |
Actress, television personality and best-selling author
Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Japan) has been in the entertainment world for over 40 years. She was
named UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1984. Over the past 16 years, her work with UNICEF for
the world’s children has taken her to numerous countries in Africa, Asia, the
Americas and Eastern Europe. She undertakes a field trip each year and does exceptional
advocacy and fund-raising, and has raised over US$25 million for UNICEF. |
Nana Mouskouri |
Singer and humanitarian Nana Mouskouri (Greece) was
appointed UNICEF Special Representative for the Performing Arts in 1993, and has actively
supported UNICEF through concerts and field trips to Africa, Asia and Latin America. She
has visited schools, health and education projects, and spoken out for child rights
through the media and in meetings with government officials. Ms. Mouskouri has given many
concerts to benefit UNICEF, including a special concert in Kenya as part of a private
sector fundraising initiative and in Guatemala, where she also presented the annual Communications
Award to journalists recognized for their coverage of child-related issues. She also
helps promote UNICEF fundraising and greeting cards campaigns in Europe and Northern
America. |
Youssou N’Dour |
Performer and bandleader Youssou N’Dour (Senegal)
became an important voice for children in1991 with his appointment as UNICEF Special
Representative for the Performing Arts. Mr. N’Dour has long used his popularity as a
performer to speak out on social issues. He has regularly participated in campaigns to
draw attention to children’s issues in his home country. At concert appearances
around the world he speaks about the plight of Africa’s children, urging his
audiences to support children’s rights to survival, protection and development. |
Susan Sarandon |
Actress and Oscar winner Susan Sarandon (USA) was appointed
UNICEF Special Representative in 1999. Throughout her life, she has dedicated herself to
social causes and charitable endeavours. She has devoted her voice, her talents and her
resources in support of hunger relief efforts, children in need, women’s issues and
people with HIV/AIDS. Ms. Sarandon was recognized for her commitment as recipient of
Amnesty International’s "Media Spotlight Award for Leadership." She has
filmed a series of public service announcements in support of UNICEF’s global
advocacy efforts. Recently she traveled to Tanzania where she met with the President and
other senior government officials, and visited health and education programmes. |
Vendela Thommessen |
Internationally known model and actress Vendela Thommessen
(Sweden) was named UNICEF International Spokesperson in 1996. In addition to her work with
UNICEF, she also supports other humanitarian causes. Ms. Thommessen has a particular
interest in girls’ education and safe motherhood which she has helped highlight
through her travels for UNICEF to Asia and Latin America. She also participates in
fundraising drives and does advocacy through appearances at conferences, exhibits and
other occasions. |
Sir Peter Ustinov |
A legend of film and theatre; an accomplished actor,
producer, director, novelist, playwright and raconteur, Sir Peter Ustinov (United Kingdom)
became UNICEF’s second Goodwill Ambassador in 1968. In 1998 he was honoured by UN
Secretary-General Kofi Annan for his 30 years of dedicated service to the Organization and
was knighted by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his humanitarian work.
Sir Peter has represented UNICEF in international TV specials, undertaken field missions,
and spotlighted children’s needs in countless media interviews. He has, in
particular, helped raise awareness of UNICEF’s campaign to eliminate childhood
deficiencies in three vital micronutrients: iodine, iron and vitamin A. |
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Danny Glover (no picture available)
Internationally acclaimed actor and human rights crusader Danny Glover (USA) was
appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Development Programme in 1998 and has focused his
efforts on helping raise public awareness about UNDP’s global mission to eradicate
poverty. His commitment to human rights is exemplified by his personal involvement in the
fight against apartheid in South Africa and his efforts to protect the rights of
minorities in the United States. Since taking on his duties as Goodwill Ambassador, Mr.
Glover has traveled to Haiti, Mali, Namibia, Senegal and South Africa to focus on how
communities in developing countries are overcoming obstacles to a better life. Mr. Glover
has also joined the fight against HIV/AIDS, giving speeches and submitting testimony on
this issue before the U.S. Congress.
Nadine Gordimer (no picture
available)
Novelist, essayist, screenwriter and political activist Nadine Gordimer (South
Africa) was named UNDP Global Goodwill Ambassador 1998. Winner of the 1991 Nobel Prize for
Literature, Ms. Gordimer’s commitment to social justice, her outspoken support for
the disenfranchised and her commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS have established her
as a strong international voice of the world’s poor. She carries out her mission in
many ways: since her appointment, she has written articles and commentaries about the
plight of the poor for major national and international newspapers, led "town hall
meetings" on the subject and addressed international conferences, including the Davos
World Economic Forum.
Hussein Fahmy |
Hussein Fahmy (Egypt), movie star and leading actor, became UNDP’s first regional Goodwill Ambassador in June 1998. He has appeared in over one hundred films as well as on television and in theatre over the last 30 years, focusing on social problems such as drug abuse, gender, poverty and handicapped children. Mr. Fahmy has been honoured by a number of film societies and received seven Best Actor Awards from Egypt’s Ministry of Culture. He has been a full-time Professor at the Academy of Arts in Cairo. In addition to his professional life, he has contributed to the work of a number of non-governmental organizations, especially those assisting disabled children and orphans. |
Misako Konno (no picture available)
Actress Misako Konno (Japan), known for her appearances on film, television and the
stage was named UNDP Global Goodwill Ambassador in October 1998. Ms. Konno is also a
writer and winner of the 1995 Japan Writer’s Prize in the Women’s Literary
Category for her science essay "Sora Tobu Hotate" (The Flying Scallop). Deeply
committed to her new role, Ms Konno has been involved in an array of activities including
visits to UNDP projects in Cambodia and Palestine to inspect UNDP-supported poverty
alleviation, resettlement and community development projects, and a UN anti-personnel mine
action programme.
Ronaldo (no picture available)
Footballer Luis "Ronaldo" Nazario de Lima (Brazil), among the
world’s most accomplished soccer players, was named UNDP Goodwill Ambassador at the
start of 2000. Prior to his appointment, he traveled to Kosovo in September 1999 to launch
UNDP’s communication campaign "Teams to End Poverty". This global
initiative combines the appeal of prominent personalities with publicity to trigger action
against poverty. He has made a personal and professional commitment to address the
universal humanitarian issues that underpin UNDP’s mission. He has also actively
supported the inter-agency efforts of UNAIDS as a representative in its 1998 and 1999
awareness campaigns against HIV/AIDS.
Kattis Ahlstrom  |
Journalist and radio/television host and producer, Kattis
Ahlstrom (Sweden) is the UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and spokesperson in her country for
UNFPA’s Face to Face campaign to achieve greater public awareness of population and
reproductive health issues. In November 1998, she traveled to Zambia to produce a Face to
Face television documentary focusing on sex and teens in Zambia and Sweden in order to
help Swedish teens become more aware of issues in developing countries. |
Mary Banotti |
A respected and prominent politician in her home country,
Mary Banotti (Ireland) was appointed Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face campaign
spokesperson for her country by UNFPA on October 11, 1999. Ms. Banotti has helped
highlight the plight of millions of women and youth denied human rights and access to
reproductive health care and family planning services. She was first elected as a Member
of the European Parliament in 1984 and continues to be an active and influential MEP,
serving on parliamentarian committees dealing with children’s welfare, health and
women's issues. Her outspoken commitment to the issues of the Face to Face campaign
is already benefiting the Irish Family Planning Association (IFPA), UNFPA’s
partner in Ireland. |
Nicolaas Biegman  |
Ambassador Nicolaas Biegman (The Netherlands) is the only
UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador whose "day job" is diplomacy. He has been a member of
the Netherlands Foreign Service since 1963. Currently Ambassador to NATO in Brussels,
Ambassador Biegman represented the Netherlands at the UN for many years and is a longtime
friend of UNFPA. Mr. Biegman was the co-chairman of the 1994 International Conference on
Population and Development in Cairo which focused on various aspects of women’s
health and family planning. Last year he co-chaired the International Hague Forum,
which marked five years since Cairo. Mr. Biegman is a board member of the International
Women’s Health Coalition and Chairman of the World Population Foundation. |
Magenta Devine |
A radio and television personality in the United Kingdom,
Magenta Devine was appointed as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador on 22 February 1998, heading the
Face to Face campaign for women’s equality and reproductive rights. She is
best known for the TV travel program, "Rough Guide", which appeared on BBC 2 and
is seen around the world. Ms. Devine also currently hosts a BBC Radio 5 live weekly
topical magazine and current affairs program, and volunteers her time and talent to two
other organizations connected with human rights, Population Concern and Amnesty
International. |
Waris Dirie |
Activist and fashion supermodel Waris Dirie (Somalia) was
appointed UNFPA Special Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM)
on 18 September 1997. As Special Ambassador, Ms. Dirie has toured African countries
speaking out against the practice and lending support to UNFPA and national programmes
that seek to eradicate FGM. As a young girl in Somalia she survived the traditional form
of FGM that kills hundreds of women every year. After achieving international success as a
fashion model, she decided to tell the public of her ordeal and to dedicate her life to
ending the practice and improving the status of women. Ms. Dirie’s work is part of an
international advocacy campaign to stimulate awareness of and support for human rights,
gender equality and reproductive choice, especially for women in developing countries. |
Safia El-Emary  |
Actress Safia El-Emary (Egypt) is UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
for her country. Famous throughout the Arab world for her cinema and television roles, she
has traveled throughout the Middle East promoting women’s right to reproductive
health care, education and empowerment. In June 1999, she attended the UN General Assembly
Special Session reviewing the five years since the Cairo conference on population and
development. |
Wendy Fitzwilliam |
The 1998 Miss Universe, Wendy Fitzwilliam (Trinidad and
Tobago) was first recognized by the UN with the title of Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS.
Her work continues with the UN as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador of the Face to Face
campaign. She has committed her energies to fighting AIDS and the stereotypes associated
with the disease in the Caribbean and worldwide. Ms. Fitzwilliam has narrated videos both
for UNAIDS and UNICEF on the plight of children and people living with HIV/AIDS in the
Caribbean. In 1998, she established The Hibiscus Foundation, an organization in
Trinidad and Tobago to heighten AIDS awareness assist children’s homes. She hopes to
expand the organization throughout the region, establishing a presence in Barbados and
then the entire West Indies. |
Catarina Furtado |
Actress Catarina Furtado (Portugal) was named as the Face
to Face campaign spokesperson for her country in 1999, working closely with
UNFPA’s partner in the campaign, the Family Planning Association of Portugal (APF).
Ms. Furtado has produced several public service announcements highlighting sexual and
reproductive rights and women's problems in developing countries for the campaign in
Portugal. The announcements have run on all of the country’s major television
stations. The television campaign has increased the public commitment of Portuguese
government officials, parliamentarians and other opinion makers to support efforts to
empower and improve the status of women. APF is also working on a project called Portuguese
Initiative with Parliamentarians. Ms. Furtado has also lent her name and personal
commentary to an APF mobile reproductive health exhibition called Cara a Cara (Face
to Face). |
Feryal Ali Gauhar |
Actress and filmmaker Feryal Ali Gauhar (Pakistan) was
appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for her country in 1999. Trained as a political
economist, her filmmaking concentrates on development issues, with a special focus on
women and children. Her television roles have always highlighted the position of women in
a feudal society. In her work with UNFPA, Ms. Gauhar has focused on violence and crimes
against women, in particular, with a special emphasis on "honour killings". Ms.
Gauhar trains the civil service in gender sensitization and devotes most of her time to
addressing public forums around the country. She works with rural communities as well as
the urban poor and will be working with the police and the judiciary in the area of
violence towards women. |
Linda Gray |
Actress Linda Gray (USA), best known for her role on the
long-running television show, Dallas, is chairperson of UNFPA’s Face to
Face campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of the plight of women who have been
denied basic human-rights, including reproductive health care and family planning. Ms.
Gray visited Nicaragua in 1997 to record a television programme for UNFPA on teen
pregnancy. She has also made several public service announcements for the Fund. Active for
over two years in the campaign since her appointment as Goodwill Ambassador on 20 January
1998, Ms. Gray has participated White House and Congressional events related to building a
U.S. constituency for international family planning. Ms. Gray has also been actively
involved in environmental issues. |
Geri Halliwell  |
Geri Halliwell (United Kingdom) was appointed UNFPA Goodwill
Ambassador for her country in 1998. She promotes UNFPA’s international advocacy
campaign for reproductive health care, gender equality and the empowerment of women
throughout the world. She will be working in partnership with Marie Stopes
International and Population Concern in the United Kingdom as part of UNFPA's Face
to Face campaign to raise concern about reproductive health and rights, especially for
women. Ms. Halliwell traveled to the Philippines last year on behalf of UNFPA and spoke to
young people about the importance of responsible sexual behaviour. As a result of her
visit, the government announced it was changing its policy on family planning. |
Hanne-Vibeke Holst  |
Author and journalist Hanne-Vibeke Holst (Denmark) was
appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face campaign spokesperson for her
country in 1998. A best-selling fiction writer, Ms. Holst’s novels deal with modern
women balancing their new options with their old problems. Her first assignment for UNFPA
and the campaign was to visit Kosovo and report on the state of women there. In her home
country, Ms. Holst is known and respected as an outspoken advocate for women's rights as
for building a global, common conscience in the 21st century. She serves on the Board of
Governors of the Danish Family Planning Association and is a member of the Danish
UNESCO National Commission. |
Lupita Jones  |
Lupita Jones Garay (Mexico) won her first national beauty
contest title in Mexico in 1990. In May, 1991 she was crowned Miss Universe in Las Vegas,
Nevada, becoming the first woman from Mexico to win the title. She studied business
administration and did postgraduate studies in industrial administration at the Centro
de Ensenanza Tecnica y Superior in Mexicali, Baja California. Ms. Jones created the
company Promocertamen in 1994. Her company organized the annual beauty contest, Nuestra
Belleza Mexico. In 1999, she decided that the contest would support an important
program for ill-treated girls in Mexico City through the Integral Family Development
project. In 2000, Ms. Jones accepted an appointment as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and Face
to Face Campaign Spokesperson for Mexico. |
Manisha Koirala  |
Manisha Koirala (Nepal), born into a family prominent in
Nepali politics, was appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador in September 1999. Her original
ambition was to become a doctor, but a stint in modeling made her change her track. Based
in Bombay, center of the Indian film business, she is a celebrated film actress. Ms.
Koirala is involved in active social work both in India and Nepal. In India she works to
promote women’s rights and prevention of violence against women. She also works with
an organization working to prevent prostitution of girls who are brought from Nepal and
sold in India. Ms. Koirala intends to produce public service announcements in India
calling for an end to discrimination against women and for protecting the rights of girl
children. |
Mikko Kuustonen |
Singer and songwriter Mikko Kuustonen (Finland) has
developed a worldwide reputation in more than 20 years in the music business and was named
UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador in October 1998. He serves as spokesperson for UNFPA’s Face
to Face campaign as well as for the International Planned Parenthood Federation
(IPPF), Vaestoliitto (the Family Federation of Finland) and 18 other European
non-governmental organizations. The campaign aims to build support for increased funding
for reproductive health services for women and to publicize the plight of millions of
women denied basic human rights, including family planning and other health services. Mr.
Kuustonen completed a ten-part television documentary series which traces the lives of ten
different women around the world, including those of two UNFPA Goodwill Ambassadors Waris
Dirie and Shabana Azmi. |
Mpule Kwelagobe |
Mpule Kwelagobe, 1999 Miss Universe from Botswana, was
appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador in 1999 as a special advocate on the issue of
HIV/AIDS, particularly in relation to adolescents. She has long been an active supporter
of UNFPA. As a teenager, Ms. Kwelagobe was part of a UNFPA funded project called Peer
Approach Counseling by Teenagers (PACT) at her local high school aimed at
teaching students about reproductive health through peer discussion. She has set up her
own foundation to raise funds for HIV-related work, including the Mpule Kwelagobe
Children’s Village, which will be home to some 400 children affected or infected
by HIV. Ms. Kwelagobe has lobbied the U.S. Congress for better funding to fight HIV/AIDS
in Africa and greater funding for UNFPA family planning programmes. She recently joined
Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, the Permanent Representative of the United States to the UN,
to testify before Congress on the scale of the epidemic in Africa. |
Goedele Liekens  |
A well-known media personality in Belgium and host of a
popular television show on social and relationship issues, Goedele Liekens was appointed
UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face campaign spokesperson for her country
in1999. A successful, practicing psychologist-sexologist, she has made the understanding
and improvement of human sexuality and relationships the focus of her professional life.
Ms. Liekens writes on the situation of women in developing countries. |
Bui Nakhirunkanok  |
In 1988, Porntip (Bui) Nakhirunkanok of Thailand was crowned
Miss Universe. In the same year, Ms. Nakhirunkanok established her own children’s
fund, responsible for benefiting the lives of her country’s underprivileged youth.
She has spoken out on behalf of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Ms.
Nakhirunkanok continues reaching out to young people by promoting education and
self-esteem. In 1995, Ms. Nakhirunkanok organized and starred in a ten-city concert tour
to raise funds for the children of Thailand. Her philanthropic work has built schools, fed
undernourished children and provided housing for the needy. In recognition of Ms.
Nakhirunkanok’s various contributions and accomplishments, she was presented with a
Royal Medal of Honour by the King of Thailand. |
Bertrand Piccard |
Dr. Bertrand Piccard of Switzerland, a scientist-adventurer,
psychiatrist and aeronaut who completed the first round-the-world balloon trip in March
1999, was named UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador and Face to Face campaign spokesperson
for his country on 16 November 1999. Dr. Piccard has worked closely with the International
Foundation for Population and Development, the new Face to Face campaign partner in
Switzerland. He launched the Face to Face campaign in Switzerland on March 8, 2000,
International Women's Day. |
Rosy Senanayake |
Rosy Senanayake (Sri Lanka) was appointed UNFPA Goodwill
Ambassador for her country in 1998. Much of her professional life has been devoted to
promoting Sri Lanka to the outside world, particularly in the area of trade. She was
crowned the first Mrs. World in 1984, winning the inaugural competition of that
pageant. Since then Ms. Senanayake has taken a great interest in promoting the rights of
women and adolescents in her country. As UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador she has promoted
reproductive health services for workers, in particular for migrant women workers in Sri
Lanka’s Free Trade Zone, and for young people, through the National Youth Services
Council. She also initiated a campaign with the private sector in Sri Lanka to provide
reproductive health services to employees of private companies. She recently starred in a
film about reproductive health shot in Sri Lanka. |
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Djordje Balasevic  |
Singer Djordje Balasevic (Yugoslavia) is the UNHCR Goodwill
Ambassador for the region of the former Yugoslavia. He was appointed in 1998. His ballads
describing the absurdity of war and ethnic hatred have been popular across the former
Yugoslavia for many years and his immense popularity has survived ethnic divisions
promoted during the conflicts in the region. In February 1998, more than 20,000 Bosnians
sang along with Mr. Balasevic during two five-hour concerts in Sarajevo, his first in the
Bosnian capital since the war began in 1992. Between 1998 and 2000, he has given several
concerts in many European countries, North America and Australia. |
Arja Saijonmaa |
Finnish activist Arja Saijonmaa has repeatedly been
commended for her long-standing commitment to human rights and the public attention she
has focused on humanitarian concerns since the beginning of her career. Her tireless
energy and dedication to the refugee cause has greatly contributed to pubic awareness and
understanding for refugees. An active campaigner, she has written numerous articles about
refugees, which have appeared in publications around the world and has attended many
related conferences. Since her appointment as Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR in 1987, Ms.
Saijonmaa has visited refugee camps in Africa, Asia and South America and produced a film
about her experience in Africa. |
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Seamus Heaney (no picture available)
Poet Seamus Heaney (Ireland) won the 1995 Nobel Prize for Literature "for
works of lyrical beauty and ethical depth, which exalt everyday miracles and the living
past". In collections of essays such as The Government of the Tongue (1988)
and The Place of Writing (1989), he discusses the role of poetry and the poet, a
theme he often returns to. Experiences from the lives of Osip Mandelstam and other
twentieth century writers led him to the conclusion that the task of the poet is to ensure
the survival of beauty, especially in times when tyrannical regimes threaten to destroy
it. Having been born into a society deeply divided along religious and political lines,
some of his works of the 1970’s also reflected his deep preoccupation with the
question of poetry’s responsibilities and prerogatives in the world, since poetry is
poised between a need for creative freedom within itself and a pressure to express the
sense of social obligation felt by the poet as citizen.
Marian Wright Edelman (no picture
available)
Founder and President of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) in
the United States, Marian Wright Edelman (USA) has been an advocate for the disadvantaged
throughout her professional life. Mrs. Edelman describes the mission of CDF as
"educating the nation about the needs of the children and encouraging preventive
investment in children before they get sick, drop out of school, suffer too-early
pregnancy or family breakdown, or get in trouble. In the mid-60’s, when, as the first
black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar, she directed the Legal Defense of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) Legal Defense
and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Mississippi. In 1968, she moved to Washington,
D.C., as a counsel for the poor People’s March that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had
begun organizing before his death.
Al Bano Carrisi (no picture
available)
Singer Al Bano Carrisi (Italy) is an acclaimed international artist, with 26 gold
and 8 platinum records to his credit. Mr. Carrisi broke a record in Italy in 1982 with
four songs topping the Italian hit parade. Two years later he won the San Remo Festival in
Switzerland with the song "Ci Sara", a duet with his wife and performing partner
of many years Romina Power. He was nominated UNODCCP Goodwill Ambassador against drugs in
1999 in conjunction with the year’s music theme for the International Day against
Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (26 June). His engagements for UNODCCP have
included performances in Vienna and Washington.
Franz Klammer (no picture available)
Olympic Champion Skier Franz Klammer (Austria) won his first European downhill
title in 1971. Five years later, at the 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympic Games, he won the
Olympic Gold Medal in the downhill event. During his extensive skiing career he won the
Downhill World Cup four successive times and came in first in 25 World Cup races. Mr.
Klammer was appointed UNODCCP Goodwill Ambassador in 1999. In that capacity, he serves as
a role model for younger generations inciting them to lead a healthy, exciting life
without drugs.
Tetsuya Komuro (no picture
available)
Musician Tetsuya Komuro is one of Japan’s most accomplished pop musicians and
producers. Since making his debut on the music scene in 1984, he has had several number
one hits in Japan as both a solo artist and as a member of the band TM Network. Mr.
Komuro has also been active on the international stage. Among other achievements, he
participated in the production of the official album of World Cup Soccer in France, the
turnover ceremony of Hong Kong to China, the Bastille Day celebration in Paris in 1998 and
in the music production presented for the Okinawa Summit meetings. He has been active in
the global fight against drug abuse for several years. Mr. Komuro has performed at the Yes
to Life Festival and has repeatedly appealed to young people to stay away form drugs.
He was named UNODCCP Goodwill Ambassador for Music against Drugs in 2000.
Letizia Moratti (no picture
available)
Former President of Italy’s RAI television channel and a leading European
businesswoman, Letizia Moratti has also been a long-time advocate for better treatment for
the victims of drug abuse. Her work with the Rainbow International Association
against Drugs has helped to unite more than 100 communities and voluntary organizations
from around the world. Rainbow International works with adolescent drug addicts by
helping them to reintegrate into society. She also promotes the work of UNODCCP with the
European media, business community and parliamentarians. Ms. Moratti was appointed a
goodwill ambassador in 2000.
Takehito Nakata (no picture
available)
Mr. Takehito Nakata became involved with UNV after his only son, Atsuhito Nakata,
was assassinated while working as a UN Volunteer serving with the UN Transitional
Authority in Cambodia in 1992. Mr. Nakata abandoned a successful import-export career to
follow his son’s example in promoting human rights and the UN’s vital work for
the international community. Mr. Nakata became the first UNV Goodwill Ambassador in 1993.
Since then, he has been tireless in his commitment and willingness to be of service to the
UN, undertaking speaking engagements and field missions to Cambodia, India, Kazakhstan,
Kenya, Mongolia, and elsewhere. His work to ensure that UNV’s contributions to the
international community are recognized at the highest levels of the Japanese Government
has been critical in strengthening the partnership between UNV and Japan.
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