UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador

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UNHCR 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. UNHCR goodwill ambassadors are celebrity representatives of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) who use their talent and fame to advocate for refugees.

Current UNHCR goodwill ambassadors

Current goodwill ambassadors and the year they were appointed:

TimeAmbassadorCountryProfession
2025Karen Wazen Lebanon  United Kingdomfashion entrepreneur and digital influencer[1]
2024Theo James  United Kingdomactor and producer[2]
2023Mary Maker  South Sudanteacher, actor and writer[3]
2023Luis Gerardo Méndez Mexicoactor and producer[4]
2023Aseel Omran Saudi Arabiaactress and singer[5]
2023Yang Yang Chinaadministrator, retired short track speed skater, and businesswoman[6]
2021Raya Abirached LebanonTV presenter and journalist[7]
2021Tanya Burr United Kingdomactress, influencer, and entrepreneur[8]
2021 Alphonso Davies Canada footballer[9]
2021Maya Ghazal Syriarefugee and pilot[10]
2021Tahsan Khan Bangladeshsinger-songwriter and actor[11]
2021 Gugu Mbatha-Raw United Kingdom actress[12]
2021Anita Rani United Kingdomjournalist and broadcaster[13]
2020 2Baba (Innocent Idibia) Nigeria Musician, producer, and entrepreneur[14]
2020Kwame Annom (Biishville)  Ghanachef and entrepreneur[15]
2020 Yiech Pur Biel South Sudan Olympic athlete[16]
2020Betty G Ethiopiasinger and songwriter[17]
2020Kat Graham United Statessinger and actress[18]
2020Alfonso Herrera Mexicoactor[19]
2020 Manizha Sangin Russia singer and songwriter[20]
2020 Nomzamo Mbatha South Africa Actress, Humanitarian, TV Presenter[21]
2019Atom Araullo Philippinesjournalist[22][23]
2019Helena Christensen Denmarkmodel and photographer[24]
2019 Mahira Khan  Pakistan actress[25]
2019Leanne Manas South Africatelevision presenter, businesswoman and journalist[26]
2019Mercy Masika  Kenyasinger and songwriter[27]
2019Nikki Samonas  Ghanaactress and television host[28]
2018Emtithal Mahmoud Sudanpoet[29]
2018Ben Stiller United Statesactor
2017Praya Lundberg Thailandmodel and actress
2017Miyavi Japanmusician
2017Neil Gaiman United Kingdomwriter
2017Yusra Mardini Syriaswimmer[30]
2017Kristin Davis United Statesactor[31]
2017MIYAVI Japanmusician and actor[32]
2017David Morrissey United Kingdomactor
2017Alessandro Gassman Italyactor
2017Iskui Abalyan Armenia  Belarussinger
2017Yasmine Salhi Tunisiaartiste
2016Cate Blanchett Australiaactor
2016John Abraham Indiaactor
2015Jung Woo-sung South Koreaactor
2015Ger Duany South Sudanactor and model
2015Rokia Traore Malisinger-songwriter
2015Sheikha Rima al-Sabah Kuwaitphilanthropist and former journalist[33]
2013Aidos Sagat Kazakhstansinger
2013Alek Wek United Kingdomsupermodel
2013Khaled Hosseini United Stateswriter[34]
2007Jesús Vázquez SpainTV presenter[35]
2007Muazzez Ersoy Turkeysinger
2006George Dalaras Greecesinger
2006Osvaldo Laport Uruguayactor[36]
2003Julien Clerc Francesinger
2000Adel Emam Egyptactor
1987Barbara Hendricks United Statesclassical singer

Other positions

  • Barbara Hendricks became a Goodwill Ambassador in 1987. She became the first Honorary Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador in 2002, the only person to hold this title.[37]
  • Angelina Jolie became a Goodwill Ambassador in 2001. In 2012, she was appointed the Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.[38]

Past ambassadors

See also

References

  1. "Karen Wazen". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  2. James, Theo. "Theo James". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  3. "Mary Maker". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  4. "Luis Gerardo Méndez". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  5. "Saudi artist Aseel Omran appointed as UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador". UNHCR Africa. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  6. "Yang Yang". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  7. "Raya Abirached". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  8. "Tanya Burr". UNHCR. 2020-02-09. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  9. "Alphonso Davies becomes the first footballer to take UNHCR's Goodwill Ambassador title". UN News. 2021-03-24. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  10. "Maya Ghazal, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador".
  11. "Tahsan Khan". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  12. "British actor Gugu Mbatha-Raw named latest UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador". UN News. 2021-02-24. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  13. "UK TV and Radio Broadcaster Anita Rani joins UNHCR as a Goodwill Ambassador". www.unhcr.org. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  14. "2Baba (Innocent Idibia)". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  15. "Kwame Annom (Biishville)". UNHCR. 2020-12-03. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  16. Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Yiech Pur Biel". UNHCR. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  17. "Betty G". UNHCR. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  18. "Kat Graham". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  19. "Alfonso Herrera". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  20. Refugees, United Nations High Commissioner for. "Manizha". UNHCR. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
  21. "Nomzamo Mbatha". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  22. "UNHCR - Atom Araullo". UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  23. "Atom Araullo appointed UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador". UNHCR. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 7 February 2019.
  24. "Helena Christensen". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  25. "Mahira Khan". UNHCR.
  26. "Leanne Manas". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  27. "Mercy Masika". UNHCR UK. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  28. "Nikki Samonas". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  29. "Emtithal Mahmoud". UNHCR. 2020-06-17. Retrieved 2025-09-29.
  30. Mardini, Yusra. "Yusra Mardini". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  31. "Kristin Davis". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  32. "MIYAVI". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  33. "Sheikha Rima al-Sabah". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  34. "Khaled Hosseini". UNHCR. 2016-12-18. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  35. "Jesús Vázquez". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  36. "Osvaldo Laport". UNHCR. Retrieved 2025-10-02.
  37. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Barbara Hendricks". UNHCR. Archived from the original on 2022-10-06. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
  38. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Former Special Envoy Angelina Jolie". UNHCR. Archived from the original on 2023-03-26. Retrieved 2025-04-21.
  39. "Former UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador". UNHCR Hong Kong. 2016-01-01. Retrieved 2025-10-02.