WHO Goodwill Ambassador

WHO 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. WHO goodwill ambassadors are celebrity advocates of the World Health Organization (WHO) and use their talent and fame to advocate for health and well-being.

This article is about the WHO goodwill ambassador title. For other uses, see Goodwill ambassador (disambiguation).

Current WHO goodwill ambassadors

Current goodwill ambassadors, and the year they were appointed:^[1]

Ambassador	Country	Term	Actions
Amitabh Bachchan	India	2017	Goodwill ambassador for awareness of Hepatitis[2]
Christine Kaseba-Sata	Zambia	2012–2014	Doctor, Against Gender-based Violence[3]
Peng Liyuan	China	2011	Vocal artist. Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS[4]
Jet Li	China	2009–2014	International film star. Goodwill Ambassador [5]
Yohei Sasakawa	Japan	2001	Chairman, Nippon Foundation. Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination
Craig David	United Kingdom	2010	Singer. Goodwill Ambassador for the Stop TB Partnership
Nancy Brinker	United States	2009	Founder, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control [6]
Liya Kebede	Ethiopia	2005	Goodwill Ambassador
Sylvie Vartan	Bulgaria	2005	Goodwill Ambassador
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra	Austria	2005	Goodwill Ambassador

Cancellation of status

On 21 October 2017 the WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus appointed Zimbabwe’s president Robert Mugabe as a WHO goodwill ambassador to help tackle non-communicable diseases for Africa. The appointment address praised Mugabe for his commitment to public health in Zimbabwe. The naming attracted widespread condemnation in WHO member states and international organisations due to Mugabe's poor record on human rights and presiding over a decline in Zimbabwe's public health. Following widespread criticism, Tedros Adhanom was forced to withdraw the appointment (cancel the title) the next day.^[7][8]

See also

• Goodwill Ambassador
• FAO Goodwill Ambassador
• UNDP Goodwill Ambassador
• UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador
• UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador
• UNODC Goodwill Ambassador
• UNFPA Goodwill Ambassador
• UN Women Goodwill Ambassador
• UNIDO Goodwill Ambassador
• UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador
• WFP Goodwill Ambassador
• United Nations Messengers of Peace

References

1. Goodwill ambassadors. Retrieved 22/05/2015.
2. Correspondent, Special. "Bachchan appointed WHO ambassador for hepatitis". The Hindu. Retrieved 2017-05-18. {{cite news}}: |last= has generic name (help)
3. Dr Christine Kaseba-Sata, WHO Goodwill Ambassador against Gender-based Violence. Retrieved 22/05/2015.
4. WHO appoints Chinese singer and health activist as Goodwill Ambassador. Retrieved 22/05/2015.
5. Jet Li, WHO Goodwill Ambassador. Retrieved 22/05/2015.
6. Nancy Goodman Brinker appointed Goodwill Ambassador. Retrieved 22/05/2015.
7. "WHO cancels Robert Mugabe goodwill ambassador role". BBC. October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2017.
8. "Director General rescinds Goodwill Ambassador appointment". WHO. October 22, 2017. Retrieved October 24, 2017.

External links

• WHO Goodwill Ambassadors