Ban asks Japanese goodwill envoys to mobilize people

Thursday 02nd July, 04:00 AM JST

TOKYO —

Visiting U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon asked Japanese goodwill ambassadors and supporters for U.N. agencies Wednesday to convey messages on matters such as peace, security, climate change and disarmament as well as mobilize people. At a meeting with eight Japanese celebrities serving as U.N. envoys and supporters at the United Nations University in Tokyo, Ban said he has seen ‘‘the power of those celebrities in mobilizing public will and sending out messages to the international community.’‘

Actress Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, who has been working as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. Children’s Fund for the past 25 years, said she has seen some achievements in global efforts to reduce child mortality during the quarter century. As a representative of the goodwill envoys, she said the U.N. supporters in Japan will keep contributing to the United Nations through their jobs. The seven other supporters include Kurara Chibana, who was named first runner-up at Miss Universe 2006 and currently serves as a celebrity partner of the World Food Program, singer Tokiko Kato, a special envoy for the U.N. Environment Program, and actresses Misako Konno and Rei Kikukawa, who work as a goodwill envoy for the U.N. Development Program and special supporter to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.

Kyodo