Banderas named UN ambassador
2010-03-18 18:08
New York - Spanish actor Antonio Banderas was appointed UN goodwill ambassador on Wednesday to help in the global fight against poverty, empowerment of women and protection of the environment.
The goals set by the UN Development Programme (UNDP), which selected Banderas, were announced by administrator Helen Clark. Banderas will also highlight other causes such as fighting diseases like Aids, illiteracy and universal education for young children.
Those goals were outlined in a 2000 programme known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which governments are urged to implement by 2015.
"UNDP is pleased to have Antonio join our group of goodwill ambassadors," Clark said. "His proven commitment to the causes of the less fortunate makes him an ideal advocate for our work."
Banderas said: "Poverty robs us of our potential as a people, preventing us from being all that we can be."
"This is why it is so important to mobilise all of our efforts to defeat it, especially if today we have the knowledge, the tools and the resources to do it."
Banderas said he would work with UNDP to spur action at all levels of society in pursuit of the MDGs, with a particular focus on Africa and Latin America.
The MDGs are backed by a fund established by the Spanish government, which donated $710m. The fund supports actions by governments and civil society to combat poverty and gender inequality.
UNDP, which disbursed more than $1bn to development projects in poor countries, and other UN agencies have been relying on world celebrities to propagate UN programmes. UNDP's previous goodwill ambassadors include football champions Didier Drogba, Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane, tennis star Maria Sharapova, Japanese actress Misako Kono and Crown Prince Khaakon Magnus of Norway.
- SAPA