UNEP Goodwill Ambassadors. Gisele Bündchen.
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador: Gisele Bündchen.
Gisele Bündchen
Super Model
Global Ambassador
“The environment has always been my passion. Mother Earth is our fundamental life-support system, and by becoming aware and responsible now, we can assist in preserving the planet.”
Gisele Bündchen, the world’s highest paid supermodel, is recognized for her long-standing and passionate commitment to the environment. During her unprecedented modeling career, Gisele has been the face of countless global campaigns including: Apple Inc., Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabana, Louis Vuitton, Nivea , Givenchy , Versace, Victoria’s Secret, Ralph Lauren, and many more. She’s one of the most well-known models in the world, having appeared multiple times on covers and in editorials of the most important magazines. She has also walked the runaway for the most important fashion designers in the world. With a truly global reach, Gisele uses her fame to bring awareness about protecting the planet to people across continents and from all walks of life.
While growing up in Brazil, Gisele witnessed the beauty of nature, as well as the destruction of forests and its affect on the surrounding communities. Her involvement with socio-environmental causes began years ago when she spent time with an Indian tribe on the Xingu River in the Amazon Rainforest. During her visit, Gisele witnessed the problems faced by the tribe due to water pollution and deforestation. After returning home, she called a footwear company she had been working with for years, Grendene. She worked with the company to use her flip-flop line to call attention to environmental causes and raise funds to sponsor environmental projects, especially forest and water related projects in the Amazon and Atlantic Rainforest.
In 2008, she returned to her homeland to help make a difference, and together with her family, Gisele and her father launched Projeto Água Limpa (Clean Water Project) in her hometown of Horizontina. The project aims at implementing sustainable environmental management and promoting the recovery of riparian vegetation and the micro basins of the region. On 8 June, 2009 the first native trees were planted – around 40,000 saplings were planted during the first phase of the projects.
From fashion to fanfare, Gisele finds a way to share her environmental passion in various aspects of her life. Aside from designing footwear to raise awareness, Gisele also dedicates part of her website to environmental issues. She launched a “green” blog in 2008 with the aim of “reflecting on socio-environmental issues that we can do something about”. In May 2009, she hit the red carpet to co-host the Rainforest Alliance’s annual gala to honor leaders in sustainability.
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Photo Gallery
Executive Director Achim Steiner designated international model, Gisele Bündchen, as a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador on 20 September, 2009 in New York, USA.
Bündchen appeared at Washington Square Park in New York, USA to announce her new role as a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador. She wore a t-shirt hand painted by a Kenyan artist for Seal the Deal!, the United Nations campaign against climate.
Bündchen spoke to the media following her designation as a UNEP Goodwill Ambassador. Gisele was joined by Girl Scouts wearing life vests to symbolize rising sea levels due to climate change.
Gisele featured in the World Environment Day 2010 public service announcement.
As one of her first engagements as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Gisele supported the UN-led Seal the Deal! campaign on raising awareness for the urgent need for action on climate change./ Photo Credit: Paolo Vainer
Gisele supported the UN-led Seal the Deal! campaign by signing the online climate petition and recording a video message.
In 2008, Gisele and her family launched Projeto Agua Limpa (Clean Water Project) in hometown in Horzintina, Brazil./Photo Credit: Wesley Santos
Gisele and her father pose at the launch of Projeto Agua Limpa (Clean Water Project) in December 2008./Photo Credit: Wesley Santos
Around 40,000 saplings were planted during the first phase of Gisele’s Projeto Agua Limpa (Clean Water Project)./Photo Credit: Personal Archive
Gisele grew up surrounded by nature in Horizontina, Brazil./Photo Credit: Naretto Junior
While growing up in Brazil, Gisele saw the harmful impact of deforestation on nearby communities./Photo Credit: Naretto Junior
Gisele has had a passion for the environment for many years/Photo Credit: Naretto Junior
Over the years, Gisele has supported various environmental and charity efforts./Photo Credit: Naretto Junior
Gisele was extremely moved and inspired to environmental action by a visit to an Indian tribe on the Xingu River in the Amazon Rainforest./Photo Credit: Personal Archive ###
Video Gallery
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Gisele Bündchen – Seal The Deal!
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Gisele Bündchen – UN Environmental Ambassador
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Gisele Bündchen – Action for Biodiversity
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About UN Environment Programme (UNEP)
Mission: “To provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.”
UNEP, established in 1972, is the voice for the environment within the United Nations system. UNEP acts as a catalyst, advocate, educator and facilitator to promote the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment. To accomplish this, UNEP works with a wide range of partners, including United Nations entities, international organizations, national governments, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and civil society.
UNEP work encompasses:
· Assessing global, regional and national environmental conditions and trends
· Developing international and national environmental instruments
· Strengthening institutions for the wise management of the environment
· Facilitating the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development
· Encouraging new partnerships and mind-sets within civil society and the private sector.
UNEP’s global and cross-sectoral outlook is reflected in its organizational structure, its activities and is personnel. Being based in Africa gives UNEP a clear advantage in understanding the environmental issues facing the world’s developing countries.
To ensure its global effectiveness UNEP supports six regional offices, plus a growing network of centres of excellence such as the Global Resource Information Database (GRID) centres and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). UNEP also has major offices in Geneva and Paris, where its Division of Technology, Industry and Economics is situated.
UNEP also hosts several environmental convention secretariats including the Ozone Secretariat and the Montreal Protocol’s Multilateral Fund, CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention on Migratory Species, and a growing family of chemicals-related agreements, including the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and the recently negotiated Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).
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> United Nations (UN).
The United Nations was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today, nearly every nation in the world belongs to the UN: membership totals 192 countries.
When States become Members of the United Nations, they agree to accept the obligations of the UN Charter, an international treaty that sets out basic principles of international relations. According to the Charter, the UN has four purposes:
- to maintain international peace and security;
- to develop friendly relations among nations;
- to cooperate in solving international problems and in promoting respect for human rights;
- and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.
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* The above story is adapted from materials provided by United Nations (UN)
** More information at United Nations (UN)
