Article
Siwon Choi appointed UNICEF Regional Ambassador for East Asia and Pacific
Super Junior star's new role unveiled in Lao PDR
Simon Nazer
Siwon Choi, star of Korean boyband Super Junior, has been unveiled as UNICEF East Asia and Pacific’s new Regional Ambassador at an event in Laos.
Over the last four years, Siwon Choi has been committed to children’s issues through his role as Special Representative for UNICEF Korea. In this capacity, Mr. Choi has travelled extensively across the region, most recently to Viet Nam where he supported UNICEF’s campaign #StopBullying to raise awareness of bullying and engage young people on developing solutions to end this problem.
"It is a great honour to be appointed today as Regional Ambassador for East Asia and Pacific. Especially during such an important occasion at the Lao Generation 2030 Forum," said Mr Choi at the high level meeting.
The event was held as part of this year's 30th Anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and his announcement was made by UNICEF East Asia & Pacific Regional Director, Karin Hulshof.
“I am delighted to announce Mr. Siwon Choi as our newest Regional Ambassador. Siwon’s strong commitment to children in need of protection from violence, abuse and exploitation, makes him a compelling advocate for children in this region," said Ms Hulshof.
"His unwavering commitment to children and his celebrity status will help UNICEF to send a powerful message that will reach the hearts and minds of people throughout the world."
Video: Siwon Choi on the CRC@30
Promoting and protecting the rights of #EveryChild
"As you all know, 1989 was the year that global leaders made a promise to the world’s children with an international agreement on childhood," said Mr Choi.
"Thirty years on, child rights have not changed, they have no expiry date. But childhood has changed. Childhood in 2019 looks very different from childhood in 1989. And it will look very different again in another 30 years.
Global trends, like digital technologies, climate change, mass migration and urbanisation are changing childhood in this region fast.
Social media and technology are changing rapidly. But little is known about children’s lives online, especially on their smartphones. We do not know enough about the opportunities and risks the online world brings.
That is why, in my role as Regional Ambassador, I will focus on promoting and protecting children’s rights online in the region."
2019 is a special year, children around the world are standing up for their rights. In East Asia and Pacific, we must work together and demand that every child, has every right.
