Teen Sensation Selena Gomez Appointed UNICEF Ambassador

Teen Sensation Selena Gomez Appointed UNICEF Ambassador

Youngest UNICEF Ambassador to travel to West Africa to witness life saving programs

NEW YORK, Sept. 3 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Fund for UNICEF today announced the appointment of actress and singer Selena Gomez as its newest Ambassador. Gomez will use her voice, recognition and commitment to children's issues to fundraise, educate and advocate on behalf of UNICEF and support the organization's mission to help reduce the number of daily preventable deaths of children, from 25,000 to zero.

"Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes. I stand with UNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero," said Selena Gomez, UNICEF Ambassador. "I know we can achieve this because every moment, UNICEF is on the ground providing children with the lifesaving assistance needed to ensure zero becomes a reality."

This month, in her fist official field mission, Gomez will travel to Ghana to witness first-hand the stark conditions of vulnerable children that lack vital necessities including clean water, nourishment, education and healthcare. According to a UNICEF endorsed report released earlier this year, Ghana is ranked 30 out of 195 countries with the highest mortality rates of children under five. Gomez will also observe how UNICEF is working to address these issues through its programming and local initiatives to ensure child survival.

"UNICEF Ambassadors have a wide range of talents and achievements, but they all share a commitment to saving the lives of children worldwide," said Caryl Stern, President and CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. "We're very pleased to have Selena join the UNICEF family, as a longtime supporter, she will continue to capture and engage an audience of millions of young people to help ensure the health, education, equality and protection of every child."

Gomez is the youngest UNICEF Ambassador in the United States and joins a distinguished roster of beloved celebrities who have embraced UNICEF through the years, dating back to Danny Kaye and continuing today with stars such as Joel Madden, Dayle Haddon, Lucy Liu, Clay Aiken, Marcus Samuelsson, Alyssa Milano and Sarah Jessica Parker among others.

About UNICEF

UNICEF has saved more children's lives than any other humanitarian organization in the world. Working in over 150 countries, UNICEF provides children with health care, clean water, nutrition, education, emergency relief, and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF's work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States.

Despite extraordinary progress, 25,000 children still die each day from preventable causes. Our mission is to do whatever it takes to make that number zero by giving children the essentials for a safe and healthy childhood. For more information, visit www.unicefusa.org

Source: U.S. Fund for UNICEF

CONTACT: Marci Greenberg of U.S. Fund for UNICEF, +1-212-922-2464,
mgreenberg@unicefusa.org

Web Site: http://www.unicefusa.org/

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