The World Health Organization has appointed four new goodwill ambassadors to further uphold and expand upon the diverse environment of global health.
Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization announced the appointment of four new goodwill ambassadors, from the fields of sports, politics and community mobilisation, to promote healthier lives, stronger health workforces and improved mental health globally.
Discover the new ambassadors
- Alisson Becker, goalkeeper of the Brazilian national and Liverpool football teams, and Dr Natália Loewe Becker, medical doctor and health advocate from Brazil, as WHO Goodwill Ambassadors for Health Promotion
- Cynthia Germanotta, President of Born This Way Foundation, which co-founded with her daughter, Lady Gaga, as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for mental health. In this role, Germanotta will raise awareness of the importance of mental health, help mobilise the international community to promote mental health and engage in global mental health campaigns
- Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia, as WHO Goodwill Ambassador for Health Workforce. Sirleaf will position new momentum on investing in the education and employment of health workers, particularly women, to achieve universal health coverage and the SDGs.
What do you know about global health goodwill ambassadors?
Ambassadors are well-known personalities from the worlds of arts, literature, entertainment, sport or other fields of public life who commit to contribute to WHO’s efforts to raise awareness of important health problems and solutions.
Appointed by the Director-General for two years at a time, they work closely with WHO to draw attention to its overall priorities or a specific health issue affecting people’s lives and well-being.
A champion in their own right
The announcements were made by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in his speech to open the 72nd World Health Assembly in Geneva.
“I welcome President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Cynthia Germanotta, Alisson Becker and Natália Loewe Becker as WHO’s new Goodwill Ambassadors and look forward to working with them over the coming years,” said Dr Tedros.
“Each of our new ambassadors are champions in their own right, from helping their communities rebuild and develop sustainably, to fighting for better mental health and wellbeing, to being role models for healthier living.”
