Goodwill Ambassadors

“The beauty of our life is in danger.” On World Water Day, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Tan Dun reminds us that water is a source of life that needs to be valued and protected. More than ever, it is our shared responsibility to step up efforts to create sustainable change and a better future.

Watch the full video here

The launch of the Editions Gallimard Femina Vox book was a humbling event, which examined the state of women's rights around the world.

The author and UNESCO Artist for Peace, Guila Clara Kessous, gave women from very different backgrounds space to express their thoughts and hopes for the future.

It is important to remember that women's rights are universal human rights. Every girl has the right to education and to the opportunity to build a future of freedom and prosperity.

Deeyah Khan, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador delivered a message for the International Day of Women in Multilateralism.

"We have a need to create a culture and societies where people from different backgrounds feel like they belong, where people feel safe, where people feel free to contribute to their communities and to the society and for them to be who they are."

Find out more here.

A beautiful concert for Peace!

On January 28, 2023 The International Philharmonic Choir, UNESCO Artist for Peace, gave a concert entitled Aida (excerpts for soloists, choir and orchestra by Verdi) in support of peace values at the Seine Musicale.

Eijin Nimura’s Performance and talk at "Human Festa —Human Rights and Peace Gathering" in Ichikawa City, next to Tokyo, on December 4.

"This event was part of a series of human rights awareness activities held throughout Japan during Human Rights Week, from December 4 to 10 every year, to promote the concept of respect for human rights. The music I played was a selection of pieces that fit the purpose of the gathering, and a sign language interpreter was also present during the talk. As for the content of the talk, I cited the great violoncellist, Pablo Casals, who fled the country in the first half of the 20th century to resist Spanish fascism, which was brought to a dictatorship by Civil War, and never set foot on his homeland again, but instead made a lifelong appeal for peace and freedom in the world through music. In addition, through my 24 years of activities as UNESCO Artist for Peace, including support in conflict zones, disaster areas and dialogue among people with disabilities, that in order to protect human rights, which should be equal, as many people as possible should have mindset to put the happiness of others before their own happiness, in other words, whether we can always put ourselves in others' shoes is crucial, I argued."

After a performance in 2018, the International Choir and Philharmonic Orchestra, UNESCO Artist for Peace, came to interpret, on November 20, 2022, in the Grandes Ecuries of the Château de Chantilly, a highly symbolic piece of European musical heritage: Carmina Burana by Carl Orff.

"It was a great honor for me on November 17, 2022, to inaugurate the Tree of Peace in Samarkand, Uzbekistan in front of the "Silk Road" at the International University of Tourism and Cultural Heritage. I would like to express my gratitude to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of tourism and Cultural Heritage of Uzbekistan, H.E Mr Aziz Abdul Chakimov, the UNESCO’s ADG of Education Mrs. Stefania Giannini, H.E the Uzbekistan's Ambassador to UNESCO, Mr Umid Shadiev and German State Secretary of Economic and Cooperation Mr Niels Annen.

I am tracing the Road to Peace by planting the Tree of Peace around the world in order to create a universal path of dialogue and tolerance, but also for Peace education.

The Tree of Peace in Samarkand is the 18th one around the world."

Hedva Ser, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador for Cultural Diplomacy

UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Ute Henriette Ohoven and her daughter Claudia Jerger participated to the Transforming Education Summit at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. They were able to present their AI-Education Chatbot innovation "RORI" : https://rori.ai/

Congratulations to our Goodwill Ambassador and Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, Forest Whitaker, as he is set to receive the honorary Palme D’Or in Cannes this year for his cinematographic and humanitarian lifework.

We stand by his words: preparing a world where everyone has dignity and power to make the world a better, more beautiful place!