UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador

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.

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.

Current UNESCO goodwill ambassadors

The following is a list of UNESCO goodwill ambassadors along with the projects and activities they support:[1]

NameCountryDateProjects and Activities Supported[2]Link
Xueli Abbing  Netherlands2022Fight against discriminations and racism
Valdas Adamkus  Lithuania2003Construction of Knowledge Societies[1]
Seidnaly Sidahmed Alphadi  Niger2016for African innovation and creation
Christiane Amanpour  United Kingdom2015Freedom of expression and journalist safety[2]
Yalitza Aparicio  Mexico2019Indigenous Peoples[3]
Metin Arditi   Switzerland2014UNESCO Honorary Ambassador and Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue
Chantal Biya  Cameroon2008Education and Social Inclusion[3]
Sergey Bubka  Ukraine2003for Sport
Laura Welch Bush  United States2003[4]UNESCO Honorary Ambassador for the Decade of Literacy in the context of the United Nations Literacy Decade (2003–2012)[4]
Claudia Cardinale  Italy2000Promotion of women's rights, especially for women in the Mediterranean; Environment issues[5]
Princess Caroline of Hanover  Monaco2003Protection of children and the family, empowerment of women and girls in Africa[6]
Mauro Colagreco  Argentina2022Biodiversity
Princess Dana Firas  Jordan2017Heritage protection and preservation_
Rossy de Palma  Spain2022Cultural Diversity
Tan Dun  China2013
Viatcheslav Fetissov  Russia2004for Sport
Vigdís Finnbogadóttir  Iceland1998Promotion of linguistic diversity, women's rights, education[7]
Princess Firyal of Jordan  Jordan1992Promotion of the Education for All initiative, humanitarian actions, World Heritage, women's rights, especially Arab women[8]
Sen Genshitsu  Japan2012
Nizan Guanaes  Brazil2011[9]
Herbie Hancock  United States2011
Bahia Hariri  Lebanon2000Preservation of World Heritage, education, culture, women's rights and sustainable development in the Arab world[10]
Vitaly Ignatenko  Russia2008Building of the capacities of the Russian language journalists and promotion of the free circulation of ideas in the Russian-speaking world[11]
Jean Michel Jarre  France1993Protection of the environment (water, fight against desertification, renewable energies), youth and tolerance, safeguarding of World Heritage[12]
Beate Klarsfeld and Serge Klarsfeld  France2015UNESCO Honorary Ambassadors and Special Envoys for Education about the History of Holocaust and Genocide Prevention
Naomi Kawase  Japan2021for Cultural and Creative Industries
Nasser David Khalili  United Kingdom2012Promotion of intercultural dialogue and promotion of peace through education and culture.[13]
Deeyah Khan  Norway2016Artistic freedom and creativity[14]
Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière  France2009Education about History of Holocaust and genocide prevention.[15]
Princess Lalla Meryem of Morocco  Morocco2001Protection of childhood and women's rights[16]
Princess Laurentien of the Kingdom of the Netherlands  Netherlands2009UNESCO Special Envoy on Literacy for Development
Peng Liyuan  China2014UNESCO Special Envoy for the Advancement of Girl's and Women’s Education
Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand  Thailand2005Empowerment of Minority Children and the Preservation of their Intangible Cultural Heritage[17]
Jean Malaurie  France2007[5]In charge of arctic polar issues, promoting environmental issues and safeguarding the culture and knowledge of the peoples of the Arctic[18]
Grand Duchess María Teresa of Luxembourg  Luxembourg1997Education, Women's rights, microfinance and campaign against poverty[19]
Denis Matsuev  Russia2014Promotion of musical education and his efforts to support young talent through the New Names Foundation.
Maria Francesca Merloni  Italy2017
Oskar Metsavaht  Brazil2011[20]
Vera Michalski-Hoffmann   Switzerland2016
Hayat Sindi  Saudi Arabia2012Promotion of science education for Arab women[21]
Vik Muniz  Brazil2011[22]
Kitín Muñoz  Spain1997Protection and promotion of indigenous cultures and their environment[23]
Alexandra Ochirova  Russia2012
Ute-Henriette Ohoven  Germany1992UNESCO Special Ambassador for Education of Children in Need[24]
Kim Phuc Phan Thi  Vietnam1994Protection and education for children, orphans and innocent victims of war[25]
Judith Pisar  United States2017UNESCO Special Envoy for Cultural Diplomacy
Susana Rinaldi  Argentina1992Street children, Culture of Peace[26]
Hedva Ser  France2011Cultural diplomacy[27]
Mintimer Shaïmiev  Russia2017UNESCO Special Envoy for Intercultural Dialogue
SA Sheikha Moza Bint Nasser  Qatar2003Special Envoy for Basic and Higher Education
Jaqueline Silva  Brazil2009
Hayat Sindi  Saudi Arabia2012Promotion de l'enseignement scientifique pour les femmes arabes
Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan  Jordan2017Pour la science au service de la paix
Salif Traoré  Ivory Coast2012
Zurab Tsereteli  Georgia1996Cultural and artistic projects[28]
Marianna Vardinoyannis  Greece1999Protection of childhood; promotion of cultural Olympics; humanitarian relief for war victims[29]
Sunny Varkey  India2012Promoter of education. Currently in United Arab Emirates.[30]
Milú Villela  Brazil2004Voluntary Action and Basic Education in Latin America[31]
Forest Whitaker  United States2011UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation[32]

Former Ambassadors

NameCountryTenure as AmbassadorLink
Ivonne A-Baki  Ecuador2010-2020
Ara Abramian  Russia2003 - 2022
Mehriban Aliyeva  Azerbaijan2004 - 2022Promotion and safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, especially oral traditions and expressions[33]
José Antonio Abreu  Venezuela1998 - 2018
Paul Ahyi  Ivory Coast2009 - 2010
Virgilijus Alekna  Lithuania2007 - 2020
Alicia Alonso  Cuba2002 - 2019
Patrick Baudry  France1999 - 2020
Pierre Bergé  France1992 - 2017
Montserrat Caballé  Spain1994 - 2018
Pierre Cardin  France1991 - 2020
Maha al-Khalil Chalabi  Lebanon2016 - 2022Heritage protection and preservation in Tyre
Marin Constantin  Romania1992–2011[34]
Esther Coopersmith  United States2009–2024[35]
Cheick Modibo Diarra  Mali1998 - 2020
Miguel Angel Estrella  Argentina1989 - 2022Promotion of Culture of Peace and tolerance through music[36]
Juan Diego Florez  Peru2012 - 2020
Sheikh Ghassan I. Shaker  Oman1989–2011[37][38]
Ivry Gitlis  Israel1998 - 2020
Christine Hakim  Indonesia2008 - 2020
Ikuo Hirayama  Japan1989–2009[39]
S. Exc. M. Mwai Kibaki  Kenya2005 - 2022For Water in Africa
Lily Marinho  Brazil1999–2011[40]
Rabah Madjer  Algeria2011 - 2020
Nelson Mandela  South Africa2005 - 2013
Rigoberta Menchú Tum  Guatemala1996 - 2020
Yehudi Menuhin   Switzerland
 United Kingdom
1992–1999[6]
Cristina Owen-Jones  Italy2004 - 2020
Renzo Piano  Italy........ - 2014
Samuel Pisar  United States........ - 2015
Ivo Pogorelić  Croatia
 Serbia
1988–2009[7][8]
Mstislav Rostropovich  Russia1998–2007[6]
Yazid Sabeg  France2010 - 2020
Serik Sapiyev  Kazakhstan2013 - 2020
Giancarlo Elia Valori  Italy2001 - 2022Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage

See also

References

External links