Whoopie Goldberg

The multi-talented performer Whoopi Goldberg was appointed Goodwill Ambassador by UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy at a ceremony at UNICEF House, New York City on 17 September 2003.  Ms. Goldberg has received considerable acclaim for her work in film, stage, television, comedy and as a producer, host and writer. She is equally well known for her tireless humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against HIV/AIDS. 

Ms. Goldberg stepped right into her new role by doing media work in New York, conducting interviews and producing material that could be used for UNICEF offices in the developing world and industrialized countries for fundraising and advocacy purposes. On 3 December, she hosted the UNICEF Goodwill Gala in Los Angeles, which celebrated 50 years of celebrity advocacy.  The Gala raised US$1.5 million for the “Audrey Hepburn All Children in School Fund.”

In January 2005, Goldberg recorded a Public Service Announcement (PSA) and a video message to help raise funds for the tsunami-affected children.  On 27 October, she recorded a  PSA for the UNICEF/UNAIDS Campaign: UNITE FOR CHILDREN UNITE AGAINST AIDS.  The same day, Goldberg  announced the winning poster design of an international advertising competition on children and AIDS.  The competition was co-sponsored by UNICEF and Clear Channel Outdoor, the world’s leading outdoor advertising company.

Born and raised in New York City, Ms. Goldberg worked in theatre and improvisation in San Diego and the San Francisco Area. It was there that she created the characters that became The Spook Show, which evolved into a hit Broadway show, Grammy Award-winning album and the HBO special that helped launch her career. She has hosted the Academy Awards several times and she is one of an elite group of artists who have won a Grammy, Academy Award, Golden Globe, Emmy and a Tony. Her film credits include The Color Purple, Ghost, Sister Act, The Lion King, How Stella Got her Groove Back and Rat Race.

In addition to her other awards, Whoopi Goldberg has been honoured with multiple NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Image Awards, numerous Hollywood People’s Choice Awards and five Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards as well as various awards and honours for her many humanitarian efforts. She recently became the first woman to be honoured with the prestigious Mark Twain Prize for American Humour.