Nizan Guanaes, Oskar Metsavaht and Vik Muniz were named UNESCO Goodwill Ambassadors by Director-General Irina Bokova, at a ceremony on May 27th, at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The three new Ambassadors are friends and partners of BrazilFoundation in its mission for a better Brazil.
Nizan Guanaes, chairman of Grupo ABC de Comunicação, was Chair of the BrazilFoundation XIII Annual Gala in 2010, and is supporting the Foundation this year as Co-Chair of the event. Nizan is President of the Association of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen Friends of UNESCO, which he founded in 2004 with Oskar Metsavaht. Nizan was designated a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador “in recognition of his continuous work over the years supporting UNESCO´s actions in education, social inclusion and empowerment of vulnerable groups.”
Oskar Metsavaht is the founder Osklen, a Brazilian label that promotes a philosophy of living in harmony with the environment. He is also the founder of Instituto-e, a non-profit organization that promotes sustainable development, environmental protection and social inclusion. Oskar is a member of the BrazilFoundation Board of Directors, and in 2009 was honored at the BrazilFoundation VII Annual Gala, for his work as the head of Instituto-e. Oskar is the honorary consul of Estonia in Rio de Janeiro is the Vice-President of the Association of Businessmen and Entrepreneurs Friends of UNESCO, and was designated a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador “in recognition of his continuous work over the years supporting UNESCO´s actions in the culture of peace, social inclusion and sustainable development.”
Brazilian artist Vik Muniz, who divides his time between Rio and New York, uses photography to immortalize the images he creates with materials such as sugar, chocolate, and recycled objects. The documentary film “Waste Land” (2010), which was nominated to the Oscars, portrays Vik’s work with Garbage Pickers of Jardim Gramacho. Vik was Co-Chair and Master of Ceremonies at the Foundation’s VIII Annual Gala. He was designated a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador “in recognition of his contributions to education and social development through his artistic career and his dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization.”
Following their nominations, the three new Ambassadors, who were already working with UNESCO, are expected to make even greater contributions to the Organization’s actions on behalf of vulnerable groups in Brazil and elsewhere.
Font: UNESCO, www.portal.unesco.org/
