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.
Current ambassadors
As of March 2025, the current goodwill ambassadors (and the year of their appointment) include the following:
Former ambassadors The former goodwill ambassadors (and the year of their appointment) include the following:
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.
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
External links Official website
