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BEIJING, 29 April 2010 – Highly acclaimed international film star Ms Maggie Cheung was today appointed United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Ambassador. With this appointment Ms Maggie Cheung will dedicate her fame and prestige to the cause of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children in China.

©UNICEF/China/2010/Liu Zhen On April 29, 2010, Dr. Yin Yin Nwe(L), UNICEF China Representative hands over the certificate of appointment to Ms Maggie Cheung, UNICEF Ambassador

"I have long respected the work of UNICEF in different parts of the world," Ms Maggie Cheung remarked at the announcement event at agency's Beijing office compound. "I am greatly honoured by this new role as a spokesperson and advocate for the most vulnerable children in China, and looking forward to helping to improve public awareness on critical issues facing children."

Ms Maggie Cheung recently travelled with UNICEF Representative Dr Yin Yin Nwe to Yunnan to visit communities and children that have been hit hard by HIV-AIDS. The new UNICEF Ambassador had a first-hand look at how children are affected by HIV-AIDS and how successful efforts to scale up HIV prevention and care are helping these communities.

©UNICEF/China/2010/Jerry Liu In late April, 2010: UNICEF Ambassador Maggie Cheung talks to a child living with HIV in a village of Ruili City, Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province. Ms. Maggie Cheung gives a UNICEF bear to the girl as a gift

UNICEF Ambassadors are prominent individuals from the worlds of art, entertainment, sport or other fields of public life who raise awareness of the priorities for children and extend the public outreach of programmes for children.

 UNICEF was the first United Nations agency to appoint celebrity Ambassadors to help call the public's attention to the urgent needs of children. The first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador was American comedian Danny Kaye, who was appointed in the 1950's and one of the most famous was Audrey Hepburn. Today, nearly 200 celebrities and artists from numerous countries serve as UNICEF Ambassadors at international and national levels throughout the world.

©UNICEF/China/2010/Jerry Liu In late April, 2010: UNICEF Ambassador Maggie Cheung visits a HIV-positive woman in a village of Ruili City, Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province. The woman says that when her husband died of AIDS, no one dared to help her with the burial. Now she has received UNICEF micro-credit, income generation training and peer support. She feels happier than before.

"We are delighted to welcome Ms Maggie Cheung as UNICEF Ambassador," said Dr. Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF China Representative. "As one of the world's best known Chinese cinema artists, she will help us to continue raising the profile of children's issues. We are thoroughly delighted that such a respected and acclaimed artist will lend her voice to the cause of children."

 UNICEF China aims to enlist Ms Maggie Cheung's support for public advocacy on key child rights issues, such as support for children affected by HIV/AIDS, migrant and left-behind children and children with disabilities.

©UNICEF/China/2010/Jerry Liu In late April, 2010: UNICEF Ambassador Maggie Cheung holds a baby whose mother is HIV-positive in a village of Ruili City, Dehong Prefecture, Yunnan Province. UNICEF is working with the Government of China to implement the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) progamme to help more HIV-positive mothers give birth to healthy children.

UNICEF will begin a new five year programme of cooperation with the government of China in 2011, focusing on the most vulnerable children and women in China.

 About UNICEF in China:
UNICEF first assisted China betwen 1947 and 1951, providing emergency services, food and nutrition, health and hygiene training during and after the War of Liberation. In 1979 UNICEF recommenced its cooperation with the Government of China which today supports child health and nutrition, clean water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence.  

©UNICEF/China/2010/Jerry Liu In late April, 2010: UNICEF Ambassador Maggie Cheung sprays water as a way of blessing to youth ambassadors who support the "Unite for Children, Unite against AIDS" global campaign by learning the facts about AIDS, sharing information about HIV/AIDS with friends and the community and caring for children and families affected.

For further information, please contact:
Dale Rutstein, UNICEF China, +86 13910973801, (Eng) drutstein@unicef.org,
Liu Li, UNICEF China, +86 13701066671, (Chn) liliu@unicef.org