Malala and ĢƵ deputy chief champion girls’ right to education in Nigeria
ĢƵ Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai met with students in Abuja and Borno State, Nigeria, to champion girls’ right to education alongside ĢƵ Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. Marking Malala’s 26th birthday and a decade since her landmark “Malala Day” speech at the United Nations, she warned that more than 120 million girls worldwide remain out of school.
ĢƵ Messenger of Peace Charlize Theron Delivers Message of Hope at 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony
Charlize Theron took the stage in her capacity as a ĢƵ Messenger of Peace at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. In a powerful speech, Theron echoed the spirit of the Olympic Truce Resolution adopted by ĢƵ Member States for the 2026 Games, bringing forward a message of peace.
Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai meets with ĢƵ Secretary General António Guterres for a bilateral discussion
On 10 March, Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai met with ĢƵ Secretary General António Guterres to discuss the lack of education access for girls and women in Afghanistan. “During these troubled times, I’m especially grateful for Malala’s tireless advocacy for women and girls around the world, including in Afghanistan, where girls are banned from secondary school and women and girls have been systematically erased from public life”, said António Guterres after the meeting.
ĢƵICEF names Khaby Lame as a Goodwill Ambassador
Following a visit to his birth country of Senegal, global content creator Khaby Lame has been named the newest Goodwill Ambassador for ĢƵICEF. During the trip, Lame met with street-connected children, visited inclusive schools, joined workshops empowering out-of-school girls in STEM, and supported youth-led climate action initiatives. He said the role is a “true honour,” pledging to use his platform to champion children’s rights and opportunities worldwide.
ĢƵOOSA appoints Brian Cox as ĢƵ Champion for Space
The United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (ĢƵOOSA) appointed Brian Cox as the United Nations Champion for Space. An internationally acclaimed physicist, author and broadcaster, Professor Cox will support ĢƵOOSA’s outreach efforts and promote greater understanding of how space technology can address global challenges such as climate change, disaster management and sustainable development.
Actor and model Amber Valletta named ĢƵ Environment Programme Goodwill Ambassador
ĢƵ Environment Programme (ĢƵEP) has appointed Amber Valletta as its newest Goodwill Ambassador, announcing the designation during the 80th session of the ĢƵ General Assembly in New York. A longtime advocate for sustainable fashion and environmental action, Valletta will help spotlight the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
ĢƵ Messenger of Peace Michael Douglas speaks at IPU Conference in Geneva
Michael Douglas addressed parliamentary leaders at the Sixth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, held at the Palais des Nations, the home of the United Nations Office at Geneva. Speaking in his role as a ĢƵ Messenger of Peace, Douglas called for renewed commitment to multilateralism at a time of global turmoil. “I believe we can plant the seeds of a future – where might is not measured in missiles”, he said, urging lawmakers to defend institutions that safeguard peace, justice and human rights. His remarks were met with a standing ovation.
Nigerian Poet Designated United Nations Global Advocate for Peace
Maryam Bukar Hassan has been officially designated as a United Nations Global Advocate for Peace. A celebrated spoken word artist and activist, Bukar uses poetry and performance to promote gender equality, youth empowerment and inclusive peacebuilding. She has previously collaborated with the ĢƵ on initiatives such as the “Peace Begins With Me” campaign and performed at major global platforms including the ĢƵ SDG Awards and the Summit of the Future.
ĢƵ Goodwill Ambassador Edward Norton champions biodiversity
Edward Norton joined ĢƵ Under-Secretary-General Melissa Fleming for a special episode of the Awake at Night podcast spotlighting biodiversity and the urgent need to protect the natural world. A longtime ĢƵ Goodwill Ambassador for Biodiversity, Norton spoke about his activist upbringing and his experience with the accelerating loss of species and ecosystem in Caribbean reefs, warning that humanity is pushing the planet to a breaking point. “We are not separate from nature,” he said, emphasizing that our economies, health, and security all depend on thriving ecosystems.
Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai and ĢƵ Women Goodwill Ambassador Anne Hathaway advocate at International Women’s Day Event
“Today I stand here heartbroken. Never have I seen so many children suffering from war and violence, injured and dying at the hands of unaccountable leaders,” said ĢƵ Messenger of Peace Malala Yousafzai in her speech at an event marking International Women's Day at ĢƵ Headquarters in New York on 9 March 2026. The event coincided with the opening of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, the ĢƵ’s largest annual forum on gender equality.
The ĢƵ family mourn the passing of Dr. Jane Goodall on Wednesday, 1 October 2025.
Primatologist, environmentalist and humanitarian, Dr. Goodall was appointed a United Nations Messenger of Peace by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2002. A pioneer in the study of chimpanzees, she transformed our understanding of the natural world and dedicated her life to the protection of people, animals, and the planet.
Daniel Craig Concludes His Term as Global Advocate for the ĢƵ Mine Action Service
It has been a privilege to work hand in hand with all the many incredible individuals who drive this invaluable organization towards the goal of creating a world that is free from the threat of mines and other explosive hazards.