Takehito
Nakata
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Mr.
Takehito Nakata (Japan) became involved with UNV after his only son, Atsuhito
Nakata, was assassinated while working as a UN Volunteer 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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Arja
Saijonmaa
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Finnish
activist Arja Saijonmaa is one of Scandinavia's leading artists and singers,
and has sold more than two million albums. She has also starred in movies
and musicals specially written for her. Ms. Saijonmaa has always had a strong
commitment to human rights issues, starting her international career by
giving voice to the Greek composer and freedom fighter Mikis Theodorakis
on his world tour in the 1970s.
In 1994, Arja Saijonmaa initiated and organized a major televised peace
concert for UNESCO in Oslo, where Yasir Arafat and Shimon Perez appeared
on stage together with 200 Palestinian, Israeli and Norwegian children
singing "We Want Peace." She co-hosted this event with Harry
Belafonte. Ms. Saijonmaa was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR in
1987, and has subsequently visited over 40 refugee camps. She has also
done several documentary films on refugees, and published many articles
and music albums about her experiences.
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Dr.
Chea Samnang |
Dr.
Chea Samnang, a doctor and actor, was appointed as UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
for Cambodia in 2000. He spent his childhood in the countryside, after his
family fled Phnom Penh during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. After the regime's
collapse, his family returned to the city, where he went to school and became
a doctor in 1999.
Dr. Samnang has committed himself to working with youth, raising awareness
about women's equality, reproductive health issues and HIV/AIDS, which he
has described as his country's "second killing field." On Women's
Day 2001, he appealed to men to stop gender violence since it harmed not
only women's health,but also the socio-economic well-being of families and
of the nation as a whole. He asked the Cambodian Government and local authorities
to take action and enforce laws that criminalize such violence. |
Alexander
Sanger
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A
foremost advocate of birth control, Alexander Sanger was appointed UNFPA
Goodwill Ambassador in 2001. The grandson of Margaret Sanger, the founder
of the birth control movement over 80 years ago, he is currently Chair of
the International Planned Parenthood Council.
As a spokesperson and advocate, Mr. Sanger was named "One of the 100
Most Influential People on the Planet" in 1995 by Earth Times. He attended
and lectured at both the 1994 United Nations International Conference on
Population and Development in Cairo, and the United Nations Fourth World
Conference on Women at Beijing in 1995.
Alexander Sanger directed extensive lobbying efforts to convince members
of the U.S. Congress to release international family planning funds in early
1997, and each year thereafter. He is committed to raising awareness in
the United States, and throughout the world, about the needs and demands
for quality reproductive health care, education and facilities in developing
countries. |
Rosy
Senanayake
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Rosy Senanayake (Sri
Lanka) was appointed UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for her country in 1997.
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.
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Jamal
Soliman
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Jamal
Soliman, a movie star, was named UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador for Syria in
December 1998. He is highly regarded in the Arab world and has won acclaim
for his television drama series, such as "Al-Thoraya (The Lantern)",
"Al-Mahkoum (Sentenced)" and "Al-Fosoul Al-Arbaa (The Four
Seasons)".
In July 2001, Mr. Soliman gave a speech during World Population Day activities,
which made a powerful plea for a more equitable world, with the equal
participation of women to build a decent future. This year, he is helping
to prepare the commemoration of World Population Day, on 11 July.
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Sir
Peter Ustinov
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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. Recently, Sir Peter Ustinov gave several media interviews, and spoke
at the International Children's Centre in Istanbul, where he was nominated
Honorary Fellow. |
Mechai
Viravaidya
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Mechai Viravaidya is
a Thai Senator and founder and Chairman of the Population and Community
Development Association (PDA), which provides the Thai population with community-based
family planning services.
In the 20-year period following the initiation of PDA, the average number
of children per family in Thailand fell from seven to two - one of the
most rapid fertility declines recorded in the modern era. Viravaidya's
non-governmental organization has also successfully mobilized significant
support from the corporate sector for rural development activities through
its Thai Business Initiative in Rural Development (TBIRD).
He received the United Nations Population Award in 1997, and was appointed
UNAIDS Ambassador in October 1999.
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Elie
Wiesel
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Nobel Peace Prize winner
and Boston University Professor Elie Wiesel (USA) was appointed Messenger
of Peace in 1998. Urged by the novelist François Mauriac to bear
witness to his experiences as a Holocaust survivor, Wiesel wrote his first
book, Night, in 1956. All of Wiesel's novelistic work reflects his personal
experiences, as well as his attempt to resolve the ethical torment of why
the Holocaust happened, and what it revealed of human nature. He became
a noted lecturer on the sufferings experienced by Jewish people and others
during the Holocaust.
His ability to transform this personal concern into a universal condemnation
of all violence, hatred, and oppression has led him to use his talents
as an author, teacher, and storyteller to defend human rights and peace
throughout the world.
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