The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) on December 14 announced appointing singer Manizha Sangin, known simply as Manizha, as the agency's first Goodwill Ambassador from Russia.
According to Sputnik, the singer has supported UNHCR since 2019, motivated by the experiences during the 1990s civil war in her native Tajikistan, which forced her family to relocate to Russia.
"UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today announces the appointment of independent musician and philanthropist, Manizha as its newest Goodwill Ambassador (GWA). This is for the first time in the history of UNHCR that a celebrity from Russia becomes an advocate for refugees," says a statement released by UNHCR.
Upon her appointment, the singer expressed her admiration of refugees and hoped that more people would recognize refugees' possible contribution to society with their talents and skills.
“I promise to support people forced to flee their homes due to conflict and persecution, to use my voice to help the needy and shine a light on refugee and statelessness situations,” Manizha said, praising the agency's efforts amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the UNHCR, there are approximately 79.5 million forcibly displaced people across the globe.
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