Kaltouma
Nadjina
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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 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. |
Vanessa
Redgrave
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Vanessa
Redgrave (United Kingdom) is known worldwide for her stage and film performances,
as well as for her writing and directing. Appointed as an international
Special Representative for the Performing Arts in 1995, she has spoken powerfully
about the situation of children in difficult circumstances, including former
Yugoslavia.
Redgrave was first associated with the UNICEF's work during the 1991 Gulf
War. Concerned by the urgent needs of the children of war-torn countries,
she has devoted much of her time and energy to raise awareness and funds
on behalf of UNICEF.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights, Redgrave organized and hosted a presentation at the United
Nations in New York entitled For the Worldwide Right to Asylum. In 2001,
she participated in the launch of the Say Yes for Children Campaign. |
Arja
Saijonmaa
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Finnish
activist Arja Saijonmaa is one of Scandinavia's leading artists and singers,
and has sold more than 2 million albuMs. She has also starred in movies
and musicals specially written for her. Ms. Saijonmaa has always had a strong
engagement for human rights issues, starting her international career giving
voice to the Greek composer and freedom fighter Mikis Theodorakis on his
world tour in the 1970's.
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. |
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 the city during the rule of the Khmer Rouge. After the regime's
collapse, his family returned to Phnom Penh, 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, 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. |
Vendela
Thommessen |
Internationally known
model and actress Vendela Thommessen (Norway) was named UNICEF International
Spokesperson in 1996.In addition to her work with UNICEF, she also supports
other humanitarian causes including girls' education and safe motherhood
which she has helped highlight through her travels for UNICEF to Asia and
Latin America. Ms. Thommessen also participates in fundraising drives and
appears at conferences, exhibits and other occasions as part of her advocacy
outreach. |
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 Center in Istanbul, where he was nominated
Honorary Fellow. |
Mechai
Viravaidya
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Mechai Veravaidya 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.
Varavaidya'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. |
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 in 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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