NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2010 - Hollywood star and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador, Don Cheadle is among several high-profile celebrities appointed by the UN to lead the global fight against poverty and the push to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
With only five years left until the 2015 target date for achieving the MDGs, the eight anti-poverty goals world leaders agreed to at the Millennium Summit in 2000, the UN is leading a collective effort to accelerate progress towards achieving the Goals.
As a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Mr. Cheadle is already raising environmental awareness among millions of people around the planet, and in doing so directly addresses MDG number 7 which aims to ensure environmental sustainability.
In his new role as an overall MDG champion he will now campaign on the full range of issues covered in the MDGs including tackling extreme poverty, hunger and disease."
The actor's strong record of humanitarian and environmental advocacy, including work on clean energy and active campaigning for genocide victims, has led to his recognition by the United Nations as a powerful advocate for change.
The MDG Champions were selected from a pool of UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace, and include well known faces from sports (Didier Drogba - football player/UNDP Goodwill Ambassador), fashion (Liya Kebede - supermodel/World Health Organization Goodwill Ambassador) and music (Annie Lennox- singer/UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador).
Speaking at the UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said "I thank these outstanding leaders for joining our push to advance progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. They are household names who are bringing the message of global justice and solidarity to homes and communities around the world."
Some of the celebrities will be attending the UN Summit later this month. Their ongoing activities include media interviews and appearances at events and in videos and public service announcements. A number of them have joined the UN online campaign to spread the word. To find out more, follow @WeCanEndPoverty on Twitter.
For more information on the Millennium Development Goals, the Summit and activities of the group of Goodwill Ambassadors and Messengers of Peace please visit: www.un.org/millenniumgoals
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