Millie Bobby Brown (UNICEF’s youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador) on empowering children

Press Conference by Emmy-nominated actress & star of the show Stranger Things and the youngest UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Millie Bobby Brown, and UNICEF’s Director of Communication, Paloma Escudero on the importance of empowering children, as part of UNICEF’s commemoration of Universal Children's Day.
Marking UNICEF’s World Children’s Day, the agency’s newly appointed Goodwill Ambassador and Emmy-nominated actress Millie Bobby Brown said “it is my wish that every child no matter where they live, or the circumstance they were born into, they have the chance to be heard. We have the passion, the fire, and the ideas to make the change.”
The appointment – marked on World Children’s Day at United Nations Headquarters and the Empire State Building in New York – makes the 14-year-old UNICEF’s youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador.
Speaking to reporters at the UN Headquarters today (20 Nov), Brown said, “I will speak out for the millions of children and young people whose voices have been silenced for far too long. I will shed a light on issues that vulnerable children and young people have suffered around the world, including representing them at places that they haven’t yet had a seat at the table.”
She continued, “and the most of all, I will make sure children and young people know their rights, and I will do everything I can to empower them to be the change they want to be in the world.”
Sharing the same UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador title with her hero, the late Audrey Hepburn, Brown quoted “as you grow older you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping others, and one for helping yourself.”
She said, “I am looking forward to travelling to see UNICEF’s amazing work and meeting as many children as I can. I want to inspire my fans to come on this journey with me, to learn with me and to raise their voices with mine. Starting today, let’s remind ourselves of all rights as children. And let’s demand those rights, not just for ourselves, but for every child here.”
The newly appointed Goodwill Ambassador added “on World Children’s Day, please join me, and thousands of children around the world, taking actions for children today. Please go blue!”
In her role as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, the British star of Stranger Things will use her global platform to help raise awareness of children’s rights and issues affecting youth, such as lack of education, safe places to play and learn, and the impact of violence, bullying and poverty. Brown has supported UNICEF’s work since 2016, hosting its 70th anniversary celebrations at the United Nations in 2016, and championing UNICEF’s inaugural World Children’s Day last year. She joins a list of UNICEF Goodwill Ambassadors including: Muzoon Almellehan, David Beckham, Orlando Bloom, Jackie Chan, Priyanka Chopra, Danny Glover, Ricky Martin, Leo Messi, Liam Neeson, Shakira and Lilly Singh.
World Children’s Day – celebrated on 20th November – is a global day of action ‘for children, by children’ to raise awareness and funds for the millions of children that are unschooled, unprotected and uprooted. UNICEF is inviting the public to go online and sign a global petition asking leaders to commit to fulfilling the rights of every child now and for future generations, so that every child is in school, safe from harm and can fulfil their potential.