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Don Cheadle
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador |
 "I hope to use my 'celebrity' to motivate people and contribute to moving our global society back from the brink. I am surprised environment is not at the top of the agenda. What is more important than food and clean air? We need a big push."
Don Cheadle, an award-winning American actor, rose to prominence in the late 1990s and the early 2000s for his supporting roles in the Steven Soderbergh-directed films Out of Sight, Traffic, and global blockbuster Ocean's Eleven. In 2004, his lead role as Rwandan hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina in the genocide drama film Hotel Rwanda earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also starred in, and was one of the producers of Crash, which won the 2005 Academy Award for Best Picture. In addition, he played the lead in the movie Traitor, which was directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff who also directed the public service announcement (featuring Cheadle and five others) for the UN's global campaign to raise awareness on climate change. The campaign was titled 'Seal the Deal!'.
Cheadle actively campaigns for the end of genocide in Darfur, Sudan, and co-authored a book concerning the issue titled Not On Our Watch: The Mission To End Genocide In Darfur And Beyond. Cheadle founded the Not On Our Watch Project with George Clooney, Matt Damon, Brad Pitt, David Pressman, and Jerry Weintraub. The organization aims to draw upon the voices of cultural leaders to protect and assist the vulnerable, marginalized and displaced. In 2007, Cheadle and fellow actor George Clooney were presented with the Summit Peace Award by the Nobel Peace Prize Laureates in Rome for their work to stop the genocide and relieve the suffering of the people of Darfur. The award was presented by the World Summit of Nobel Laureates, Mikhail Gorbachev.
Also in 2007, he was awarded the BET (Black Entertainment Television) Humanitarian of the Year award for the numerous humanitarian services he rendered for the cause of the people of Darfur and Rwanda.
To take individual action where he can, Cheadle owns a solar home, uses filtered versus bottled water and drives a hybrid automobile. |
Don Cheadle Appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme |
5 June 2010 - He has portrayed Iron Men, mobsters and a hotel manager who saved hundreds of lives during the Rwanda genocide. But in his latest role, Hollywood star Don Cheadle will take on a new kind of challenge – the environment.
 Don Cheadle, an internationally respected actor, humanitarian and environmentalist, was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on 5 June 2010, World Environment Day (WED).
The designation was announced in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda during the global WED 2010 celebrations, where Mr. Cheadle took part in the traditional Kwita Izina gorilla-naming ceremony. The renowned actor's trip to Rwanda was especially meaningful given his ties to the country through his Academy Award-nominated role in the 2004 film 'Hotel Rwanda'.
Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director and United Nations Under-Secretary-General, who joined Mr Cheadle for WED, said: "It is an honour to welcome such an icon as Don Cheadle to this important role. UNEP does not appoint Goodwill Ambassadors lightly. Through his humanitarian work and his passion for the environment, Mr. Cheadle will raise green awareness among millions of people around the planet and draw attention to ways we can deal with issues like pollution and environmental-based conflict."
 Don Cheadle said: "I would love it if we were able to live in a world which is in harmony with its environment. But it is money over people, money over environment, money over everything. We need to educate people on the environment and draw clear connections now – it is not disparate pieces, it really is a chain of life. We have to connect the dots. I am surprised the environment is not at the top of the agenda. What is more important than clean air and a healthy planet? I hope this designation as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador will give me the opportunity to motivate the public to take action and bring people together to tackle environmental challenges."
Mr. Cheadle has a strong record of humanitarian and environmental advocacy, including work on clean energy and active campaigning for genocide victims. In 2009, he appeared in the UN Seal the Deal! campaign's public service announcement on climate change.
In his capacity as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Don Cheadle will use the influential voice of the entertainment industry to mobilize the public to embrace more sustainable lifestyles, promote the greening of the entertainment industry and other sectors, and take part in UNEP public outreach initiatives.
Mr. Cheadle joins the ranks of the other distinguished UNEP Goodwill Ambassadors, Brazilian super model Gisele Bündchen, French photographer and environmentalist Yann Arthus-Bertrand and Indian cricket star Sachin Tendulkar. |
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