UNICEF appoints Ayushmann Khurrana as national ambassador

NEW DELHI: The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) India today announced the appointment of Bollywood star, Ayushmann Khurrana as a national ambassador. The actor joined hands with UNICEF to support ensuring the rights of every child to survive, thrive, and be protected as well as promoting their voice and agency in decisions that concern them.

Speaking at the conferment, Ayushmann Khurrana said,” It is truly an honour to further my advocacy for children’s rights with UNICEF India as a National Ambassador. I am passionate about the issues facing children and adolescents in India. As UNICEF’s Celebrity Advocate, I have interacted with children and spoken on internet safety, cyberbullying, mental health, and gender equality. In this new role with UNICEF, I will keep up a strong voice for children’s rights, especially for the most vulnerable supporting solutions for issues that impact them the most.”

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Welcoming Ayushman Khurrana as the national ambassador, Cynthia McCaffrey, UNICEF India representative said, “I am delighted to welcome Ayushmann Khurrana as UNICEF India’s National Ambassador. Ayushmann’s strong commitment over the last two years as UNICEF’s Celebrity Advocate has helped amplify and drive the work of protecting the rights of children. He is one of India’s biggest movie stars, and we are thrilled that he is using that powerful voice to stand with children and challenging harmful social norms and gender stereotypes. And it is a voice that resonates with UNICEF’s work and ethos in its sensitivity and passion. We look forward to working with him on the most critical child rights issues of our time – ending violence, mental well-being, and gender equality– and towards a better future for every child.”

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Ayushmann was appointed UNICEF India's Celebrity Advocate in September 2020 to advocate for ending violence against children and the broader child rights agenda. His active participation in World Children’s Day, adding his voice and influence on International Women’s Day, International Day of the Girl Child, World Day Against Child Labour and Safer Internet Day raised the profile of children’s causes and received wide public attention.

Most recently he focused attention on inclusion and non-discrimination through gender-inclusive sports on World Children’s Day 2022 with Sachin Tendulkar, Regional Ambassador for UNICEF South Asia and with girls and boys participating from across India.