{{Short description|Celebrity advocate of the World Health Organization mission}} {{TOC right}} {{About|the WHO Goodwill Ambassador title|other uses|Goodwill ambassador (disambiguation)}} '''WHO Goodwill Ambassador''' is an official honorary title that is granted 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 they use their talent and fame to advocate for global health and well-being.<ref name=ambassadors>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/about/collaboration/goodwill-ambassadors |title=WHO Goodwill Ambassadors |publisher=World Health Organization |accessdate=1 March 2025}}</ref>
==Current ambassadors== {{Incomplete list|date=March 2025}} {{As of|2025|March}}, the current goodwill ambassadors (and the year of their appointment) include the following:<ref name=ambassadors/> <!-- listed in reverse chronological order by year of appointment --> {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%;" ! Name !! Country !! Year !! Details |- | Gordon Brown || {{flagcountry|UK}} || 2021 || Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Goodwill Ambassador for Global Health Financing.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.who.int/news/item/20-09-2021-former-u.k.-prime-minister-gordon-brown-appointed-world-health-organization-ambassador-for-global-health-financing |title=Former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown appointed WHO Ambassador for Global Health Financing |publisher=World Health Organization |date=20 September 2021 |accessdate=2 March 2025}}</ref> |- | Peng Liyuan || {{flagcountry|China}} || 2011 || Vocal artist. Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20121022212738/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2011/gwa_20100603/en/ WHO appoints Chinese singer and health activist as Goodwill Ambassador]. Retrieved 22/05/2015.</ref> |- | Yohei Sasakawa || {{flagcountry|Japan}} || 2001 || Chairman, Nippon Foundation. Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination. |} <!-- listed in reverse chronological order by year of appointment -->
==Former ambassadors== The former goodwill ambassadors (and the year of their appointment) include the following:<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060322210405/http://www.who.int/goodwill_ambassadors/en/ Goodwill ambassadors.] Retrieved 22/05/2015.</ref> <!-- listed in reverse chronological order by year of appointment --> {| class="wikitable sortable" style="width: 100%;" ! Name !! Country !! Year(s) !! Details |- | Amitabh Bachchan || {{flagcountry|India}} || 2017 || Goodwill Ambassador for Awareness of Hepatitis.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/bachchan-appointed-who-ambassador-for-hepatitis/article18441751.ece|title=Bachchan appointed WHO ambassador for hepatitis|work=The Hindu|access-date=2017-05-18|language=en}}</ref> |- | Christine Kaseba-Sata || {{flagcountry|Zambia}} || 2012–2014 || Doctor. Goodwill Ambassador Against Gender-based Violence.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20131029233622/http://www.who.int/goodwill_ambassadors/christine_kaseba_sata/en/ Dr Christine Kaseba-Sata, WHO Goodwill Ambassador against Gender-based Violence]. Retrieved 22/05/2015.</ref> |- | Craig David || {{flagcountry|UK}} || 2010 || Singer. Goodwill Ambassador for the Stop TB Partnership. |- | Jet Li || {{flagcountry|China}} || 2009–2014 || International film star. Goodwill Ambassador.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20100119191444/http://who.int/goodwill_ambassadors/jet_li/en/ Jet Li, WHO Goodwill Ambassador]. Retrieved 22/05/2015.</ref> |- | Nancy Brinker || {{flagcountry|USA}} || 2009 || Founder, Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20090706074530/http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2009/nancy_goodman_20090526/en/ Nancy Goodman Brinker appointed Goodwill Ambassador]. Retrieved 22/05/2015.</ref> |- | Liya Kebede || {{flagcountry|Ethiopia}} || 2005 || Goodwill Ambassador. |- | Sylvie Vartan || {{flagcountry|Bulgaria}} || 2005 || Goodwill Ambassador. |- | Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra || {{flagcountry|Austria}} || 2005 || Goodwill Ambassador. |} <!-- listed in reverse chronological order by year of appointment -->
==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 in Africa. The appointment address praised Mugabe for his commitment to public health in Zimbabwe. The appointment 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.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-41713919| title=WHO cancels Robert Mugabe goodwill ambassador role| date=October 22, 2017| accessdate=October 24, 2017| publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2017/goodwill-ambassador-rescinded/en/| title=Director General rescinds Goodwill Ambassador appointment| date=October 22, 2017| accessdate=October 24, 2017| publisher=WHO}}</ref>
==See also== * 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== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{official|https://www.who.int/about/collaboration/goodwill-ambassadors}}
Category:World Health Organization Category:Goodwill ambassador programmes Category:United Nations goodwill ambassadors