Goodwill Ambassadors of the United Nations System
Click on any of the agencies below to view a list of their Goodwill Ambassadors.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Joint United Nations Programmes on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
FAO Goodwill Ambassadors Programme
- Magida Al Roumi (Lebanon) Singer
- Anggun (Indonesia) Singer
- Roberto Baggio (Italy) Football Champion
- Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak al Ketbi (United Arab Emirates) Extraordinary Ambassador of FAO
- Raoul Bova (Italy) Actor
- Dee Dee Bridgewater (USA) Jazz Singer
- Pierre Cardin (France) Fashion Designer
- Al Bano Carrisi (Italy) Singer
- Margarita Cedeño de Fernández (Dominican Republic) First Lady
- Celine Dion (Canada) Singer
- Beatrice Faumuina (New Zealand) Olympic Athlete/Discus
- Deborah Ferguson (Bahamas) Olympic Gold Medalist/Sprinter
- Carla Fracci (Italy) Classic Ballet Dancer & Director of the Opera Theatre in Rome
- Gilberto Gil (Brazil) Singer
- Raúl González Blanco (Spain) Football Player
- The Italian Singers’ Soccer Team (Italy) Hosts Famous Italian Singers and Plays Charity Soccer Games
- Jeremy Irons (UK) Actor
- Mory Kanté (Guinea) Singer/Instrumentalist
- Ronan Keating (Ireland) Singer/Songwriter
- Khaled (Algeria) Rai Singer
- Carl Lewis (USA) Olympic Gold Medalist
- Gong Li (China) Actress
- Gina Lollobrigida (Italy) Actress
- Fanny Lu (Colombia) Singer
- Maná (Mexico) Latin Rock Band
- Rita Levi Montalcini (Italy) 1986 Nobel Prize for Medicine/Writer/Senator of the Italian Republic
- Noa (Israel) Singer
- Justine Pasek (Panamá) Former Miss Universe
- Massimo Ranieri (Italy) Singer and Actor
- Lea Salonga (Philippines) Singer
- Oumou Sangaré (Mali) Singer
- Susan Sarandon (USA) Actress
- Chucho Valdés (Cuba) Pianist and Composer
- Patrick Vieira (France) Football Player
- Dionne Warwick (USA) Singer
Contacts:
Ms Sharon Lee Cowan, Chief, Outreach and Advocacy, Sharon.Cowan@fao.org
Ms. Rosarita Pagano, Liaison Officer, Outreach Advocacy Activities - FAO Goodwill Ambassadors Programme, Rosarita.Pagano@fao.org
Joint United Nations Programmes on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo) Football Player
- Michael Ballack (Germany) Football Player
- Toumani Diabaté (Mali) Musician/Kora Player
- Annie Lennox (UK) Musician/Singer
- Lebo M (South Africa) Music producer
- HRH Crown Princess Mette-Marit (Norway) Advocate for young people living with and affected by HIV
- Her Serene Princess Stephanie (Monaco) President of “Fight AIDS Monaco”
- Naomi Watts (UK/Australia) Actress
Coordinator:
Ms. Tina Bille, Coordinator, UNAIDS GWA programme
billet@unaids.org
Ms. Cheryl Bauerle, bauerlec@unaids.org
United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
International Goodwill Ambassadors
- Lord Richard Attenborough (UK) Actor, Producer and Director
- Amitabh Bachchan (India) Actor
- Ishmael Beah (Sierra Leone) Writer and Human Rights Activist/UNICEF Advocate for Children Affected by War
- David Beckham (UK) Football Player
- Harry Belafonte (USA) Singer, Actor, Producer and Human Rights Activist
- Berlin Philharmoniker (Germany) Orchestra
- Orlando Bloom (UK) Actor
- Jackie Chan (China) Actor and Martial Arts Expert
- Myung-Whun Chung (Republic of Korea) Conductor
- Judy Collins (USA) Singer/Songwriter
- Mia Farrow (USA) Actress
- Danny Glover (USA) Actor and Producer
- Whoopi Goldberg (USA) Actress, Producer and Writer
- Maria Guleghina (Ukraine) Opera Singer
- Angélique Kidjo (Benin) Singer and Songwriter
- Yuna Kim (Republic of Korea) Athlete
- Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Japan) Actress, Television Personality and Author
- Femi Kuti (Nigeria) Singer and Musician
- Leon Lai (China) Singer and Actor
- Lang Lang (China) Pianist
- Jessica Lange (USA) Actress
- Ricky Martin (USA) Pop Singer
- Shakira Mebarak (Colombia) Singer and Songwriter
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) Football Player
- Sir Roger Moore (UK) Actor
- Nana Mouskouri (Greece) Singer
- Liam Neeson (Ireland) Actor
- HM Queen Rania (Jordan) Eminent Advocate
- Vanessa Redgrave (UK) Actress
- Sebastião Salgado (Brazil) Photojournalist
- Susan Sarandon (USA) Actress
- Maxim Vengerov (Russia) Violinist and Conductor
- Serena Williams (USA) Tennis Champion
Coordinators:
Ms. Marissa Buckanoff, Chief, Celebrity Relations
mbuckanoff@unicef.org
Ms. Deborah Toskovic Kavanagh, Celebrity Relations (Geneva)
dtoskovickavanagh@unicef.org
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Ara Abramian (Russia) International Businessman/Civil Society Supporter
- Valdas Adamkus (Lithuania) former President of Lithuania
- Mehriban Aliyeva (Azerbaijan) First Lady of Azerbaijan/Cultural & Children’s Issues
- Alicia Alonso (Cuba) Ballerina and Choreographer
- Ivonne A. Baki (Ecuador) Artist and Politician
- Patrick Baudry (France) Astronaut/Youth Issues
- Pierre Bergé (France) Entrepreneur/Human Rights and HIV/AIDS Activist
- Chantal Biya (Cameroon) First Lady of Cameroon, Education and Social Inclusion
- Montserrat Caballé (Spain) Opera Singer/Humanitarian and Children’s Issues
- Pierre Cardin (France) International Businessman/Human Rights Activist
- Claudia Cardinale (Italy) Actress/Women’s Rights Advocate
- H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover (Principality of Monaco) Women, Children and Educational Issues
- Esther Coopersmith (USA) Socialite/Intercultural Dialogue
- Cheick Modibo Diarra (Mali) Scientist/Science Education Advocate
- Miguel Angel Estrella (Argentina) Classical Pianist/Promotes UNESCO Objectives through Music
- Vigdís Finnbogadóttir (Iceland) Former President of Iceland/Supports Linguistic Diversity
- H.R.H. Princess Firyal of Jordan (Jordan) Arts Patron/Humanitarian Issues
- Ivry Gitlis (Israel) Violonist
- Sen Genshitsu (Japan) Grand Tea Master
- Nizan Guanaes (Brazil) Entrepreneur
- Christine Hakim (Indonesia) South East Asia and teacher’s education
- Herbie Hancock (USA) Jazz Musician
- Bahia Hariri (Lebanon) Parliamentarian/Women’s Rights Advocate
- Vitaly Ignatenko (Russia) President of the World Association of the Russian Language Press/Promotion of the Russian language and culture around the world
- Jean Michel Jarre (France) Electro-Acoustic Musician/Cultural Heritage Preservation/Youth Issues
- Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière (France) Businessman & Entrepreneur/Cultural Heritage
- H. R. H. Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco (Morocco) Women and Children’s Rights Advocate
- Omer Zülfü Livaneli (Turkey) Artist/Uses Music to Promote Multiculturalism and Tolerance
- H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand (Thailand) Development Projects and Children’s Rights
- Rabah Madjer (Algeria) Sports Broadcaster and former Football Player/Promotion of Sports Values
- Jean Malaurie (France) Climate Change and Artic polar issues
- Nelson Mandela (South Africa) Nobel Peace Prize 1993 and former South African President
- H.R.H. the Grand Duchess María Teresa of Luxembourg (Luxembourg) Children’s Rights/Education for Women and Girls
- Rigoberta Menchu Túm (Guatemala) Nobel Peace Prize 1992/Indigenous Peoples Advocate
- Oskar Metsavaht (Brazil) Entrepreneur
- Vik Muniz (Brazil) Artist
- Kitín Muñoz (Spain) Scientist and Explorer/Aboriginal Peoples Advocate
- Ute-Henriette Ohoven (Germany) Humanitarian Advocate/Education
- Cristina Owen-Jones (Italy) HIV/AIDS Prevention/Education of Children in Need
- Kim Phuc Phan Thi (Vietnam) Peace Activist
- Susana Rinaldi (Argentina) Tango Dancer
- Yazid Sabeg (France) Businessman
- Madanjeet Singh (India) Diplomat, Artist and Painter
- Zurab Tsereteli (Georgia) Artist and Architect/Cultural Projects and Children
- Giancarlo Elia Valori (Italy) Economist and businessman
- Marianna Vardinoyannis (Greece) Leading Figure in Greek Social and Artistic Life/ Children’s and Family Rights Advocate
- Milú Villela (Brazil) Philanthropist/Primary Education
- Forest Whitaker (USA) Actor, Director and Producer
Coordinator:
Ms. Susana Sam-Vargas, Executive Officer in the Cabinet of the Director-General of UNESCO
S.Sam-Vargas@unesco.org
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Hon. Mrs. Phoebe Asiyo (Kenya) Advocate for African women
- Nicole Kidman (USA and Australia) Actress
- HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol (Thailand) Granddaughter of the Thai King, Prosecutor
- HRH Princess Basma bint Talal (Jordan) Advocate for Middle East women
Coordinator:
Ms. Nanette Braun, Head of Communications
nanette.braun@unifem.org
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Antonio Banderas (Spain) Actor
- Iker Cassillas (Spain) Football Player
- Didier Drogba (Côte d’Ivoire) Football Player
- Misako Konno (Japan) Television Personality and Actress
- Ronaldo (Brazil) Football Player
- Maria Sharapova (Russia) Tennis Player
- Marta Vieira da Silva (Brazil) Football Player
- Zinédine Zidane (France) Football Player
- Crown Prince Haakon Magnus of Norway (Norway) HIV/AIDS Advocate for the MDGs
Coordinator:
New York
Abdel-Rahman Ghandour, Deputy Director of Communications
Abdel-rahman.ghandour@undp.org
Alessandra Bassi, Communications Associate, Bureau of External Relations and Advocacy
alessandra.bassi@undp.org
Geneva
Ms. Aziyadé Poltier-Mutal, Communication Partnerships Manager
aziyade.poltier@undp.org
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Giorgio Armani (Italy) Designer/Businessman
- Julien Clerc (France) Singer and Songwriter
- George Dalaras (Greece) Musician
- Muazzez Ersoy (Turkey) Singer
- Barbara Hendricks (American-Swedish) Classical Singer
- Adel Imam (Egypt) Actor
- Osvaldo Laport (Uruguay) Actor
- Jesús Vázquez Martínez (Spain) Television Personality
Special Envoy
- Angelina Jolie (USA) Actress
Contact:
Ms. Alison Tilbe, Coordinator, Goodwill Ambassadors Programme, tilbe@unhcr.org
United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Mansour Cama (Senegal) Businessman/Founding member of the foundation of Senegal’s National Confederation of Employers
- Dr. Rajendra K. Pachauri (India) Chief Executive, Industrial Engineering and Economics
- Marcos Pontes (Brazil) Astronaut
- Peter Sutherland (Ireland) International Businessman/Chairman of BP and Goldman Sachs International
Coordinator:
Mr. Mikhail Evstafyev, Advocacy and Communications Coordinator
m.evstafyev@unido.org
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Ross Bleckner (USA) Artist
- Nicholas Cage (USA) Actor
- Christopher Kennedy Lawford (USA) Actor and Author - Goodwill Ambassador for Drug Dependence Treatment and Care
- Mira Sorvino (USA) Actor
Coordinators:
Alun Jones, Chief of Communication and Advocacy (Vienna)
alun.jones@unodc.org
Ms. Simone Monasebian, Chief of New York Office
monasebian@un.org
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Catarina Furtado (Portugal) Actress
- Goedele Liekens (Belgium) Media Personality
- Princess Basma Bint Talal (Jordan) Global and National Advocate for Women and Children
- Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck (Bhutan) Queen Mother of Bhutan
Patrons
- Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
Coordinator:
Mr. Abubakar Dungus, Media Adviser/UNFPA Spokesman
dungus@unfpa.org
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
Goodwill Ambassador
- George McGovern (USA). Appointed in October 2001.
Special Ambassador for School Feeding
- HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn (Thailand). Appointed in October 2004.
Ambassadors against Hunger
- Paul Tergat, marathon runner, Kenya. Appointed on January 2004.
- Mahmoud Yassin, actor, Egypt. Appointed on September 2004.
- Kakà, soccer player, Brazil. Appointed on November 2004.
- Ronaldinho, soccer player, Brazil. Appointed on August 2005.
- Maria GraziaCucinotta, actress and producer, Italy. Appointed on May 2006.
- Drew Barrymore, actress and producer, USA. Appointed on May 2007.
- Howard Buffett, philanthropist and environmentalist, USA. Appointed on October 2007.
- John Kofi Agyekum Kufuor, former President of Ghana, Ghana. Appointed on February 2009.
- Hend Sabry, actress, Tunisia. Appointed on January 2010.
- Christina Aguilera, singer, USA. Appointed on May 2010.
- Amadou & Mariam, singers, Mali. Appointed on November 2010.
- Peter Bakker, businessman, Netherlands. Appointed on January 2011.
Coordinators:
Geneva
Ms. Janine D’Angelo, Coordinator, Celebrity Relations & Special Events
Janine.Dangelo@wfp.org
New York
Ms. Bettina Luescher, Chief Spokesperson, North America
bettina.luescher@wfp.org
World Health Organization (WHO)
Goodwill Ambassadors
- Yohei Sasakawa (Japan) Leprosy Elimination/Chairman of The Nippon Foundation
- Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (Austria) Public Awareness on Health Issues
- Peng Liyuan (China) Soprano and Actress/Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS
- Jet Li (China) Actor
- Nancy Goodman Brinker (USA) Founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Coordinator:
Ms. Angelica Spraggins, Programme Coordinator
spraggins@un.org
Geneva:
Dr. Gaya Gamhewage, Team Leader, Corporate Communications, gamhewageg@who.int
Goodwill Ambassadors against Tuberculosis
- Luis Figo (Portugal) Football Player
- Craig David (UK) R&B Singer/Songwriter
Coordinator:
Mr. Vittorio Cammarota, External Relations
cammarotav@who.int
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Gisele Bündchen (Brazil) – Supermodel
- Yann Arthus-Bertrand (France) – Photographer/Journalist
- Don Cheadle (USA) - Actor
Coordinator:
Ms. Lucita M. Jasmin, Head, Special Events Division of Communications & Public Information, lucita.jasmin@unep.org
Total:
183 Goodwill Ambassadors
Updated: May 2013