WHO Goodwill Ambassadors
Advocating for global health and well-being
WHO / Christopher Black
Democratic Republic of the Congo. A woman is bathing her child in a bowl.
Democratic Republic of the Congo. A woman is bathing her child in a bowl.
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WHO Goodwill Ambassadors are renowned personalities from the fields of arts, literature, entertainment, sport, or other areas of public life committed to contributing to the World Health Organization's efforts to raise awareness about critical health issues and promote solutions for a healthier world. Handpicked by the Director-General, these distinguished personalities collaborate closely with WHO. Their primary aim is to spotlight general health priorities or call attention to specific health obstacles that impact the lives and well-being of people around the world. Notably, they offer their time and expertise on a voluntary basis, underscoring their dedication to ensuring access to health for all.
Our Goodwill Ambassadors exemplify the power of collaboration, advocacy, and influence in advancing global health priorities. Their commitment to health promotion, disease elimination, and well-being strengthens WHO's mission to create a healthier world. Together, they are beacons of hope and change, inspiring individuals and nations to work towards a healthier and more sustainable future.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion
Alisson Becker
In his opening remarks to the Seventy-second World Health Assembly, WHO Director General, Dr Tedros announced the appointment of prominent international footballer Alisson Becker as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion.
Alisson Becker is the goalkeeper of the Brazil and Liverpool football teams and an advocate for promoting physical activity, particularly of children.
Alisson Becker is also the husband of fellow WHO Goodwill Ambassador for health promotion, Dr Natália Loewe Becker, a medical doctor and health advocate from Brazil.
Health promotion is central to efforts to promote healthy lives and guide communities and countries to provide the systems and services needed to ensure people can achieve the highest levels of health and well-being.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion
Dr Natália Loewe Becker
In his opening remarks to the Seventy-second World Health Assembly, WHO Director General, Dr Tedros announced the appointment of Dr Natália Loewe Becker as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Promotion.
Dr Becker is a medical doctor and health advocate from Brazil. She is passionate about promoting childhood immunization, nutrition, healthy lifestyles for children and improving sanitation in local communities.
Dr Becker is also the wife of fellow WHO Goodwill Ambassador for health promotion, footballer Alisson Becker, who is the goalkeeper of the Brazil and Liverpool football teams.
Health promotion is central to efforts to promote healthy lives and guide communities and countries to provide the systems and services needed to ensure people can achieve the highest levels of health and well-being.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries
Courtesy of Michael R. Bloomberg
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Michael R. Bloomberg
Founder, Bloomberg LP & Bloomberg Philanthropies
Michael R. Bloomberg is an entrepreneur and three-term mayor of New York City whose innovations in government and philanthropy have made him a global leader on climate change, public health, education, and other critical issues facing America and the world. As mayor, Bloomberg implemented ambitious public health programs that helped increase New Yorkers’ life expectancy by three years – 2.2 years longer than the national average over that span.
Bloomberg has been strongly committed to philanthropy throughout his career. Bloomberg Philanthropies employs a unique data-driven approach to save and improve lives across its core focus areas: public health, education, the environment, the arts, and government innovation, as well as special founder’s projects. He has given away more than US$ 14.4 billion.
An international leader on public health issues, Bloomberg was recently re-appointed as World Health Organization Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries. His investments in the field include major, life-saving initiatives to reduce tobacco and youth e-cigarette use, support healthy food policies, reduce drowning, and improve road safety and maternal health, among others.
Bloomberg graduated from Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Business School.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Global Health Financing
Courtesy of Gordon Brown
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Gordon Brown
Mr Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and UN Special Envoy for Global Education is also the WHO Ambassador for Global Health Financing. Mr Brown's leadership has been pivotal in reforming health and economic policies. His advocacy for education as a fundamental right and access to healthcare reflects his commitment to advancing global health.
Mr Brown has actively advocated for sustainable funding and flexible resources for WHO. He participated in the Working Group on Sustainable Financing of WHO, urging countries to support COVID-19 vaccination and highlighting the need for equitable vaccine distribution. Through opinion editorials and media interviews in reputable outlets like the Financial Times, The Guardian, and Independent News. Mr Brown has mobilized support for WHO. Additionally, Mr Brown also played a crucial role in supporting WHO’s Health Emergency Appeal launch in January 2023.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Technology and Health Financing
Ray Chambers
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus first appointed the philanthropist, humanitarian and health advocate Ray Chambers to serve as a WHO Ambassador for Global Strategy in September 2018. Due to Mr Chamber’s continued dedication and support he was re-appointed in 2023 as WHO Ambassador for Technology and Health Financing. His ongoing commitment to leveraging technology and mobilizing financial resources underscores his vital role in driving forward WHO’s initiatives and advancing global health outcomes.
Mr Chambers previously served as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Health in Agenda 2030 and for Malaria. Prior to 2016, he held the role of UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Financing the Health Millennium Development Goals, working with multiple funding partners to support international efforts to deliver health care and monitor the impact of such efforts.
Through his ambassadorship with WHO, Mr Chambers raises awareness about the role played by WHO to promote health, serve the vulnerable and keep the world safe.
A key area of activity for Mr Chambers is to advocate for the mobilizing of resources to meet global health targets, working closely with governments, donors and the private sector.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals and Health
Courtesy of James Chau
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James Chau
James Chau is an international broadcaster who serves as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Sustainable Development Goals and Health. He has earned a special reputation for his interviews with world leaders in politics, science and culture—highlighting the connection between health and headline global issues, and fostering a holistic understanding of the opportunities and challenges at stake.
Mr Chau has championed the Global Action Plan, a historic agreement by 12 partner agencies co-ordinated by WHO, and initiated by Ghana, Germany and Norway. He has been invited to speak and moderate at the annual UN General Assembly, including the High-Level Meetings on universal health coverage, noncommunicable diseases, tuberculosis, antimicrobial resistance and HIV/AIDS.
Most recently, he supported the UN Secretary-General’s efforts to end the COVID-19 pandemic through equitable access to vaccines, tests and treatments, and the annual gathering of the global group of heads of state and government for noncommunicable diseases. He shares the vision established by the WHO Director-General for a world that is populated by healthy and productive lives—no matter where we were born, and no matter where we live.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Sports and Health
Courtesy of Didier Drogba
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Didier Drogba
The celebrated Ivorian footballer Didier Drogba is the WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Sports and Health. Mr Drogba is renowned for his leadership on and off the pitch and advocates for physical activity and healthy lifestyles. His philanthropic work through the Didier Drogba Foundation complements his role in various health campaigns, promoting healthy living and wellness for all.
Since his appointment in October 2021, Mr Drogba has fervently supported WHO’s Sports for Health programme, actively advocating for physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and mental health. Among his key achievements, Mr Drogba led Walk the Talk events in Geneva, Switzerland, and Dubai in 2022, engaging the public in promoting well-being. He also participated in a Sports and Health panel at the World Health Summit in Berlin, further highlighting the importance of sports in maintaining health. Mr Drogba was pivotal in promoting health activities related to the FIFA World Cup 2022 and participated in the "Bring the Moves" campaign, encouraging physical activity and healthy habits worldwide.
His impactful contributions include a public service announcement calling for Health for All, engaging with media, sharing messages on social media, and participating in WHO Facebook live sessions, ensuring a broader reach for crucial health messages.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health
Andrew Eccles
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Renée Fleming
Renée Fleming, one of the most acclaimed singers of our time, is a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health. Her mesmerizing performances have graced the world’s most significant stages and momentous occasions, while her advocacy for research at the intersection of arts and health brings a unique perspective to global health initiatives.
Ms Fleming has advocated for the healing power of the arts and has worked with healthcare organizations to integrate music and creative arts therapies into patient care. She has also supported research exploring the impact of music and arts interventions on health outcomes, such as reducing anxiety and pain in surgery patients, or addressing the effects of stroke or dementia. Her anthology, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, (release April 2024) is a comprehensive overview of the latest achievements in this field. Her work has been recognized with numerous awards and honours, including the US National Medal of Arts, the Fulbright Lifetime Achievement Medal, and Crystal Award at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Most recently, she received the 2023 Kennedy Center Honor.
Ms Fleming performed at WHO’s 75th Anniversary Arts and Healing Concert in Geneva in 2023.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health
Courtesy of Cynthia Germanotta
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Cynthia Germanotta
Cynthia Bissett Germanotta is the President of Born This Way Foundation, which she co-founded with her daughter Lady Gaga in 2012 to partner with young people and build a kinder, braver world that supports their mental health.
Under Mrs. Germanotta’s leadership, Born This Way Foundation has reached millions of young people around the world and works to demonstrate the transformative power of kindness and its impact on mental health through impactful youth-driven initiatives and research-based programs including the Be There Certificate, a peer-based mental health course which was recently recognized with an Anthem Award for Health, Education, or Literacy Platform; Channel Kindness, a storytelling platform inspiring thousands of kind actions across the globe; and the Kindness in Community Fund, an international grantmaking program that supports local organizations that provide free, accessible, and youth-informed mental health resources and are building kind communities.
In her role as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Mental Health, she will raise awareness of the importance of mental health, helping mobilize the international community to promote mental wellbeing and engage in global mental health campaigns.
WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination
Lawrence Lacks
Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr.
Victoria Baptiste
Veronica Robinson
The Lacks Family
At the 2022 World Health Summit in Berlin, the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the appointment of Henrietta Lacks’ son, Lawrence Lacks, Sr., and his granddaughters, Victoria Baptiste and Veronica Robinson; and Alfred Lacks Carter, Jr., Henrietta Lacks’ grandson, as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Cervical Cancer Elimination. Mr Lawrence Lacks sadly passed away, aged 88, on 26 August 2023.
As members of The Lacks Family, Alfred, Victoria, and Veronica continue to be committed to preserving the life and legacy of Henrietta Lacks by educating future generations on the impact of her immortal HeLa cells while promoting health equity and social justice.
Lawrence Lacks, Sr. lived in Baltimore County, Maryland. He tirelessly advocated for cervical cancer elimination in honour of his mother, Henrietta Lacks, who died from metastatic cervical cancer. Lawrence, Henrietta’s eldest son, was 16 when his mother prematurely died on 4 October 1951, leaving behind her husband, 5 children, and her HeLa cells that would change the world as they gave rise to countless medical breakthroughs.
Alfred Lacks Carter is a nonprofit founder living in Baltimore County, Maryland. He advocates for patients, survivors, and families worldwide to ensure that no other wife, mother, or sister dies needlessly from cervical cancer.
Victoria Baptiste, BSN, RN is a nurse living in Baltimore County, Maryland, committed to educating, empowering, and mobilizing patient advocates, health-care providers, clinicians, researchers, community leaders, and policy-makers to increase cervical cancer prevention, screening, and treatment worldwide.
Veronica Robinson is a patient advocate in Baltimore County, Maryland, who promotes community action, calling for global leaders, policy-makers, and civil society organizations to provide equal access to cervical cancer education, screening, vaccination, and treatment for all people.
The Lacks Family descendants are taking action to end cervical cancer in honor of Henrietta’s legacy as the “Mother of Modern Medicine” by eliminating cervical cancer worldwide.
Related links
WHO Director-General’s statement on the passing of Lawrence Lacks Sr.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS
Peng Liyuan
On 3 June 2011, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan appointed the famous Chinese soprano and actress Peng Liyuan as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Ms Peng is the head of the Chinese Song and Dance Ensemble in the General Political Department of the People's Liberation Army and ranked first class in the civil service with the military rank of major general.
Ms. Peng is a strong advocate of health and the control of tuberculosis and HIV. In China she became the Minister of Health Ambassador for HIV/AIDS Prevention in January 2006 and the National Ambassador for TB Control and Prevention in March 2007.
Related links
Speech by WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination
Courtesy of Yohei Sasakawa
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Yohei Sasakawa
Mr Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman of The Nippon Foundation, is WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Leprosy Elimination. For decades. Mr Sasakawa has dedicated his life to ending leprosy and promoting human rights for those affected by the disease. His tireless efforts have improved the lives of millions, eradicating stigma and discrimination related to leprosy.
Mr Sasakawa has tirelessly campaigned to end discrimination and human rights violations faced by those affected by leprosy worldwide. His active lobbying efforts at the United Nations have led to significant progress in addressing the social stigma surrounding leprosy. Mr Sasakawa's dedication to this cause has resulted in increased funding and support for leprosy-related programmes and the implementation of policies to promote social inclusion and provide necessary healthcare services for those affected. His unwavering commitment has played a crucial role in advancing global efforts towards leprosy elimination and improving the lives of millions of individuals and families affected by the disease.
WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health
Gregor Hohenberg
Portrait photo of Pretty Yende, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health.
Portrait photo of Pretty Yende, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health.
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Pretty Yende
Ms Pretty Yende, the acclaimed South African opera singer, is WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Arts and Health. Her enchanting performances captivate audiences worldwide, while her advocacy for research at the intersection of arts and health brings a unique perspective to global health initiatives. Ms Yende’s dedication to the healing power of the arts enriches the health and well-being of communities.
Ms Yende has used her platform to advocate for the transformative power of arts in healing and wellness. She has collaborated with the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the U.S. National Institutes of Health to support research initiatives at the crossroads of arts and health. Ms Yende's involvement has also extended to major initiatives like the Sound Health Network at the University of California, San Francisco and the NeuroArts Blueprint at Johns Hopkins University.
Through her public speaking engagements and media outreach, Ms Yende has effectively raised awareness about the positive impact of arts on mental health, making her a compelling ambassador in promoting holistic well-being through artistic expression.
Former WHO Goodwill Ambassadors
Professor Keizo Takemi, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Universal Health Coverage
June 2019 – October 2022
In October 2022 Professor Keizo Takemi stepped down from his post as Goodwill Ambassador for universal health coverage.
Professor Takemi is an internationally renowned advocate on global health and development. He was the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan in 1998-1999 and the Senior Vice Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan in 2006-2007. As the son of prominent physician and scientist Dr Taro Takemi, he has a strong interest in health and welfare, and played an important role negotiating reform of the Japanese health system and the introduction of the elderly care insurance scheme in 2000.
Professor Takemi taught international politics at Tokai University, Japan, since 1995 and was Harvard School of Public Health Research Fellow from 2007-2009. Since 2007, as a senior fellow of Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE), he has led a high-level working group advocating for Japan’s collective action on global health.
Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Health Workforce
May 2019 – July 2020
On 16 July 2020, Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf stepped down from her post as Goodwill Ambassador for the Health Workforce. President Sirleaf will continue to advocate for the education and employment of health workers, particularly women.
Her excellency is currently serving as Co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, taking forward the work in line with WHA Resolution 73.1.
In his opening remarks to the Seventy-second World Health Assembly, WHO Director General, Dr Tedros announced the appointment of Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as Goodwill Ambassador for the health workforce.
H.E Johnson-Sirleaf is a Nobel Peace Laureate; a health workforce champion, a voice for freedom and an advocate for health for all. Following the Ebola epidemic in Liberia in 2015, she oversaw the expansion of Primary Health Care and the creation of more than 4 000 new health worker jobs as part of the post-Ebola response.
As Africa’s first elected female Head of State, H.E. Johnson Sirleaf has become a popular symbol of democracy, leadership and gender equity, not only in her own country but throughout Africa and the developing world. She continues to champion women and economic empowerment, particularly women in leadership and politics.
The health workforce agenda is central to progress towards SDG 3,4,5,8,10. Engaging H.E Johnson Sirleaf as a WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Workforce, will position new momentum on investing in the education and employment of health workers, particularly women, to achieve universal health coverage and the SDGs.