UNICEF Ambassadors, the original influencers
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UNICEF Ambassadors, the original influencers
UNICEF has collaborated with influencers before influencers were even a thing. They are known as UNICEF Ambassadors, and we’ve been working with them since the 1950’s to advocate for children’s rights.
Much has changed in 70 years, especially when it comes to spreading the word of our work around the world and how the digital sphere has amplified this. But the role of an ambassador and their influence has remained the same - creating awareness about our work.
So, who are UNICEF’s ambassadors and what do they do?
UNICEF ambassadors are prominent individuals who are at the top of their game, whether as sports people, actors, singers, activists or musicians. They dedicate their time, resources and scope of influence to raise awareness about UNICEF's mission, advocating for children's rights, and mobilizing support for our work globally.
There are also different types of ambassadors; UNICEF Global Goodwill ambassadors and UNICEF Ambassadors. The former are world-renowned personalities and professionals and the latter are those elected by UNICEF National Committees or Country Offices, who are very well known in those regions or countries. You can read about UNICEF Aotearoa’s Ambassadors, Dan Carter and Laura McGoldrick here.
UNICEF Ambassadors help raise awareness for kids around the world who live in regions where the need is great. When you heed the call from the UNICEF Ambassadors - and donate to our Greatest Need Appeal - you enable us to be there for kids within 48hrs from when an emergency happens.
What is the history of UNICEF ambassadors?
UNICEF's history with ambassadors is extensive, dating back to 1954 with Danny Kaye as the first. Since then, many prominent figures have joined the organization as Goodwill Ambassadors, including Audrey Hepburn, Roger Moore, and more recently David Beckham, and Liam Neeson.
Today, as the world becomes more integrated with the digital and online spaces, UNICEF recognises the need to appeal to new audiences. So we thought we’d give you an opportunity to learn about some of the influential ambassadors we work with, who you may not know are UNICEF ambassadors.
Mille Bobby Brown
Arguably one of the most talked about TV series in the last 10 years is Stranger Things. It launched Brown’s career and when the first season debuted in 2016, she was only 11 years old. She played the mysterious, whimsical and fierce, Eleven. Season after season, the influence this show had on pop culture grew immensely (the styling, graphic effects, to the music), as did Brown’s stratospheric rise to fame, resulting in two Emmy-nominations.
In 2018, at just 13-years-old, she was featured as one of Time Magazine’s 100 most influential people - the youngest person to have been included on this prestigious list. That same year she became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador - again the youngest-ever.
In her role as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Brown has used her global platform to help raise awareness of children’s rights and issues affecting youth, such as lack of education, safe places to play and learn, and the impact of violence, bullying and poverty.
In March this year the actress delivered a speech at the United Nations Headquarters during the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) to champion girls’ rights. Shortly after she went on a field trip to Brazil and met with adolescent girls and young kids to hear about their lives, the challenges they face, and how they are pursuing their dreams.
“I was especially moved to have spent time with several adolescent girls at the school, to listen and learn about their personal stories and experiences. We talked about the importance of supporting each other through our respective challenges, and I wanted them to feel empowered to make decisions about their future. They are incredibly inspiring, and I know they will continue to be the change in their community,” Millie Bobby Brown.
Orlando Bloom
Aotearoa holds a special place for Orlando Bloom, having played one of the central characters of the Lord of the Rings series, shot here in the early 2000’s. Peter Jackson saw star-potential in the young British stage and film actor who was relatively unknown before his worldwide debut as uber-elf, Legolas, in the film series. After this, he became a household name in pop culture, with major roles in Pirates of the Caribbean followed by a return to New Zealand to shoot the Hobbit Series, 12 years after Lord of the Rings.
But it was his appointment as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2007 that has seen Bloom step into his most fulfilling role, a global humanitarian and philanthropist. For two decades, Bloom’s advocacy for child rights has seen him visit kids in the most devastating contexts. From Nepal to Liberia, Jordan to South Africa, to name a few, he has seen and done way more than most of his peers.
He’s also lent his celebrity status to documentaries showcasing UNICEF’s work. Episode 3 of Tales by Light (2018) is one where he travelled with Kiwi photographer Simon Lister, to Bangladesh to document the plight of children living and working in the slums of Dhaka. The series was streamed globally on Netflix. In 2021, Bloom served as Executive Producer on “If You Have,” an inspiring documentary from Academy Award-winning documentary director Ben Proudfoot, celebrating 75 years of UNICEF’s lifesaving work around the world.
One of Bloom’s most recent field trips was to Democratic Republic of Congo last year. It was his first trip to the central African country and one that couldn’t have come at more urgent time as it was, and still is, in the grip on ongoing socio-political violence. He described his time there as “heart-wrenching”.
“Every day, children and women in the DRC’s displacement camps face tremendous hardships. Their needs are overwhelming, and the response to the crisis is falling short. We must urgently unite to ensure they live in safety and dignity,” Orlando Bloom.
Khaby Lame
For most of us, the year 2020 was one that changed our relationship with the internet. The Covid pandemic made the online world a place we could all roam freely. An escape from the panic, from lockdowns and restrictions. It was also the year that gave rise to then 19-year-old content maestro and influencer, Khaby Lame.
Through his life hack videos, Lame kept us entertained for hours, silently performing comedic video responses to complicated “life hacks” in a simple and funny way, giving him the title of ‘the internet’s Charlie Chaplin’. The Senegalese internet sensation’s rise to fame saw him make Fortune's 40 Under 40 and Forbes' 30 Under 30 lists in just two years of debuting. In 2024, Lame was listed as one of Forbes top 10 Content Creators and as of this year, he is the most-followed creator on TikTok with a 162 million followers.
This year, Lame became UNICEF’s newest Goodwill Ambassador. He’s using his global platforms to help raise awareness of children’s rights across the world, including education and training, empowering girls, protection from violence and abuse, and access to health, nutrition, and a clean environment.
The appointment as an ambassador was made at an event in Lame’s birth country Senegal, which followed his first official UNICEF visit to meet children and young people who are driving positive change in their communities. He met street-connected kids at a shelter in Dakar, playing sports together and listening to their stories of how many had fled violence, abuse and exploitation.
“It’s a true honour to be appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and be part of an organisation that puts children’s rights front and centre every day. From my own experience as a child fearing poverty, struggling to find my passion at school, and losing my job during the COVID-19 pandemic, to finding my place and calling in the world, I know that all children can thrive when they are given a chance and opportunity.” Khaby Lame.
Our long term programmes in sustainable development are some of our most impactful work. UNICEF Ambassadors amplify these initiatives in the hope that donors will contribute more regularly. This is important because with ongoing predictable funding we can make longer term change.