Actress Dia Mirza, Alibaba chief among 17 new SDG Advocates of UN

The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed 17 global figures including Indian actress Dia Mirza and Alibaba chief Jack Ma as the new advocates to drive action and solidify global political will for the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals. 

The new class of  Sustainable Development Goals, SDG, Advocates are influential public figures committed to raising awareness, inspiring greater ambition and pushing for faster action on the SDGs, which were adopted by world leaders on September 25, 2015. 

The Secretary-General has tasked the Advocates with driving that action, building that ambition, and solidifying global political will and they will leverage and build bridges between their audiences and work together to drive



progress on achieving the SDGs. 

According to a statement issued by the UN Spokesperson's office, the Advocates represent the universal character of the SDGs, hailing from governments, entertainment, academia, sport, business and activist organizations around the world.

The other newly-appointed SDG Advocates include Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, Founder, Education Above All Foundation (State of Qatar), British screenwriter, producer and film director Richard Curtis, Nobel Laureate Nadia Murad, Director of Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University Jeffrey Sachs, Brazilian footballer and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador and Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative, Forest Whitaker.