“She isn’t just a world tennis champion, she is a champion for children, and a passionate advocate for providing every child with a quality education,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake in a press release. “We are delighted that she is joining us as Goodwill Ambassador.”[break]
Past and present UNICEF ambassadors include Danny Kaye, Audrey Hepburn, Harry Belafonte, Mia Farrow, David Beckham, Orlando Bloom, Yuna Kim and Shakira.
“I believe all children deserve the chance to make something of their lives,” Williams said on her appointment. “I am committed to helping UNICEF provide a quality education to children to help them build a brighter future for themselves, their families, and their communities.”
Williams had traveled to Ghana on her first visit to Africa for the country’s biggest health campaign initiated by UNICEF in 2006.
“As a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Williams will use her popularity and personal interest in children’s issues to support the UN agency’s mission to provide a quality education for the most vulnerable children through the Schools for Africa program and the upcoming Schools for Asia initiatives,” UNICEF said in the release.
Williams is one of the all-time greats of professional tennis, having achieved a decade-long dominance. She has won a total of 13 career Grand Slams and was a Gold Medalist at the 2000 and 2008 Olympics.
Related story
Singer Arthur Gunn appointed as goodwill ambassador for Nepal T...
