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Czech model and entrepreneur Petra Nemcova is the official UNDRR World Tsunami Awareness Advocate, a Day which is commemorated on 5 November every year.

Petra was officially recognized by Robert Glasser, former Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction in a ceremony held at the Japan Society in New York in November 2017 for three years. 

Petra Nemcova not only survived the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Thailand under terrible circumstances but also found a way to continue living, sharing her experience and putting her entrepreneurial spirit at the service of people affected by disasters. 

Today, Petra Nemcova is the head of All Hands and Hearts - Smart Response which has financed 232 resilient schools in disaster-affected communities in more than 12 countries such as Peru, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Haiti, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines and Nepal to the benefit of over 100,000 children. All Hands and Hearts works with 53,000 volunteers from 116 countries and aims at addressing the immediate and long-term needs of communities impacted by natural hazards. 

Co-founded in 1999 by the world-renowned conductor and pianist Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian scholar Edward Said, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra unites young musicians from Israel, Palestine and several Arab countries to promote inter-cultural dialogue through music.  The Orchestra has performed at the main international festivals and music centres, as well as at the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations in New York, and the Human Rights Council Room in Geneva.

In February 2016, the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was designated as a United Nations Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding.

The United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) supports the Orchestra in its mandate as Global Advocate to promote tolerance, understanding and unity among peoples of different cultural and religious identities.

Siya Kolisi was designated a Global Advocate for Spotlight Initiative effective 1 July 2020. Mr. Kolisi was named captain of the South African National Rugby Team, the Springboks, in 2018, making him the first Black test player to captain the team in its 129-year history. In 2019, he led his country to victory in the World Cup finals against England, securing his position on the national and international stage and instilling pride in South Africans from all walks of life. Mr. Kolisi’s partnership with Spotlight Initiative, secured via Roc Nation Sports, includes activities that raise awareness of violence against women and girls, and the role men must play in ending violence for good. In March 2020, Mr. Kolisi and his wife Rachel Kolisi founded the Kolisi Foundation to alleviate extreme poverty, mentor underprivileged youth and promote equality.

A Platino Award winner, Ariel Award nominee and the first Spanish speaking actress to be nominated for an International Emmy, Ms. Suárez raises awareness on violence against women and girls and other forms of human rights violations, including to more than one million people on her social media platforms. Ms. Suárez has been actively engaged with the Spotlight Initiative since 2018, with a particular focus on ending femicide in Latin America. She was designated a UN Global Advocate for the Initiative effective 1 July 2020.

The first United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations

On 3 December 2023, the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, Mr. Giles Duley was appointed as the first United Nations Global Advocate for persons with disabilities in conflict and peacebuilding situations. Mr. Duley is a documentary photographer, writer, storyteller and the CEO of the charity Legacy of War Foundation.

In 2011, while working in Afghanistan, Mr. Duley was severely injured by an improvised explosive device and was left a triple-amputee. He underwent dozens of operations and returned to Afghanistan to continue his work as a photographer the next year. His work focuses on the long-term humanitarian impact of conflict and seeks to drive change for people with disabilities through sustainable, localized projects. This year he has been working extensively in Ukraine where the Foundation has delivered specialized aid including wheelchairs, medical equipment and ambulances.

As the UN Global Advocate Mr. Duley advocates for the immediate and long-term needs and rights of persons injured in conflict and living with disabilities, including those affected by explosive ordnance. And he will ensure that the voices of those disabled by explosive ordnance are heard in the larger conversations on persons with disabilities in peacebuilding processes. In accepting the appointment Mr. Duley explained:

“It’s an honor to see my work recognized by the UN in this appointment, but my work has always been to amplify the voices of others, and so this appointment honors all their stories. In my role I represent them all, and I will continue being a conduit for their stories, advocating for all civilians left disabled by war and representing them in their search for justice and the support that is their right.

“In war those with disabilities are often represented as victims, denied equality in humanitarian support and excluded from peace processes. It is time for change. And if we work together, we have the strength and opportunity to create that change.”

Mr. Duley’s role as Global Advocate is administered by the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS), Department of Peace Operations.

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