Jackie Chen signs on campaign for UNICEF and UNAIDS
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-04-27 15:04

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS ( UNAIDS) on Monday jointly appointed Chinese action star Jackie Chen as one of its Goodwill Ambassadors to campaign against the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Jackie Chen

Chen, famous for his martial arts showed in movies, agreed to take time out of his busy schedule to help UNICEF and UNAIDS in trying to curb the spread of HIV/AIDS, said a UNICEF news release issued in Bangkok on Monday.

Chen also showed his interests in advancing the cause for children, especially children affected by armed conflict, according to the document.

UNICEF is delighted that Jackie Chen has signed up to be a Goodwill Ambassador and believed his worldwide fame and popularity will assist UNICEF enormously its work for children, the UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy was quoted as saying.

UNAIDS also welcomed Chen as a champion in the fight against HIV/AIDS especially in Asia where the epidemic is growing rapidly, UNAIDS Executive Director Peter Piot said.

Audrey Hepburn, a former UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

Chen is currently in Cambodia to visit HIV/AIDS and landmine awareness projects and his visit will undoubtedly raise the profile of these issues both within Cambodia and abroad, according to the UNICEF release.

Chen, whose blockbuster movies include Rumble in the Bronx and The Medallion, rose to fame from humble origins in Hong Kong. Trained from the age of seven in classical Chinese opera, he worked as a stuntman before fighting his way through to film stardom in both Hong Kong and Hollywood.

His films blend action and humor in a mix that has delighted millions across the world.

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors are celebrities with a demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of children. Among the earliest UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors were such legends as Danny Kaye and Audrey Hepburn.

Close

Today's Top News     Top Life News
Radiation control sought to ward off health hazards         NPC rules out universal suffrage for HK         Institute isolated for suspected lab infection         Zeng: Hegemony never on nation's agenda         Testimony: Japanese war chemicals did harm         300 infected with measles in Sichuan	Jackie Chen signs on campaign for UNICEF and UNAIDS       Why men eager to marry a teacher wife?       Treacherous love online       The theater mutation project       Louvre: Mona Lisa deteriorating quickly       Youth-asset or liability?