9 May 2019: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed six new SDG Advocates to drive action, build ambition and solidify global political will through their leadership work and platforms. The latest appointments include His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi II, Emir of Kano, Nigeria, and Nadia Murad, Nobel Laureate, Chair and President, Nadia’s Initiative, and UN Office on Drugs and Crime Goodwill Ambassador.This brings the total to 17 SDG Advocates. The SDG Advocates group is co-chaired by Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway, and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana.

The other new members of the group are:

• Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim, Activist, Environment and Indigenous Rights;
• Dia Mirza, Actress and Film Producer, UN Environment Programme and Goodwill Ambassador for India;
• Edward Ndopu, Founder, Global Strategies on Inclusive Education; and
• Marta Vieira da Silva, Footballer, Orlando Pride, UN-Women Goodwill Ambassador.

They join previously appointed members: Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder, Education Above All Foundation; Richard Curtis, Screenwriter, Producer and Film Director; Jack Ma, Founder and Executive Chairman, Alibaba Group; Graça Machel, Founder, Graça Machel Trust; Paul Polman, Chair, International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and Vice-Chair, UN Global Compact Board; Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University; Forest Whitaker, Founder and CEO, Whitaker Peace and Development Initiative, UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation; Queen Mathilde of the Belgians; and Alaa Murabit, Founder, The Voice of Libyan Women.

Guterres also appointed some members of the previous class of SDG Advocates as SDG Advocate Alumni, including: Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden; Lionel Andrés Messi Cuccittini, Founder, Leo Messi Foundation; and Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate and Founder, Grameen Bank.

The SDG Advocates initiatives was launched in January 2016 during the World Economic Forum (WEF). [UN News Story] [Appointment Announcement] [SDG Advocates Homepage] [Previous SDG Knowledge Hub Story on SDG Advocates]