UNICEF and Roger Moore

Taken from the new book

ROGER MOORE HIS FILMS AND CAREER

By Gareth Owen and Oliver Bayan

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UNICEF was established on 11 December 1946 by the United Nations to meet the emergency needs of children in post-war Europe and China. In 1950, its mandate was broadened to address the long-term needs of children and mothers in developing countries everywhere.

UNICEF became a permanent part of the United Nations system in 1953, and it was then that its name was shortened from the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund to the United Nations Children's Fund, although the original acronym was retained. UNICEF has a mandate and mission to advocate for children's rights and help meet their needs. The organization (of which regional committees are registered charities) works in 161 countries, areas and territories on solutions to the problems plaguing poor children and their families and on ways to realize their rights: the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Roger Moore is one of UNICEF's most ardent supporters and represents the charity in numerous fund-raising and awareness activities. He has devoted much of the last ten years to working for the organization, and is now one of its goodwill ambassadors.

"If I can help raise just one person's awareness, then it's worthwhile." Roger Moore on his work for UNICEF. Roger Moore and his wife Kristina in Slovenia

"Andrey Hepburn asked me if I'd help her out on a couple of things for UNICEF and I said yes. One of those was to co-host the 1990 Danny Kaye International Children's Awards. There, I listened to Andrey speak-she was so eloquent and so passionate. She said that there are millions of children out there, and they are dying. Unless we do something about it, we'll never ever be able to hold our heads up. Also, she said, that has to be pointed out to governments."

Audrey Hepburn was herself a recipient of UNICEF aid as a child and in later life was very passionate about the charity and its camapign. Roger was so moved in fact, that he joined UNICEF and immediately set about doing as much as he could to raise awareness and the all-important funds, as UNICEF depends totally upon donations to survive and do its good work. Initially as a special representative for the arts, Roger's apolitical approach - whereby he would meet with both sides in a conflict-soon won him great acclaim as a valuable diplomatic representative, and as such he was 'promoted' to be a goodwill ambassador: the highest title a celebrity can hold within UNICEF.

"At the time I joined the organization", Roger recalled, "the Rights of the Child was being ratified. UNICEF is now in over 160 countries and 191 countries throughout the world are signatories to the Rights of the Child convention. And so you have to remind governments of that, and I make a nuisance of myself in that respect."