UNICEF People

Sir Roger Moore

© UNICEF/HQ00-1009/Terry O'Neill

Sir Roger Moore, the popular British film, television and stage actor, is perhaps best known for his role as secret agent 007, James Bond. With his appointment as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador on 9 August 1991, Sir Roger embarked on a new mission.

"My curiosity got the better of me after Audrey Hepburn introduced me to UNICEF," says Sir Roger, explaining the origins of his association with the organization. "I wanted to find out more than just the facts and figures."

Action role

He set about this almost immediately, departing on an advocacy mission to projects in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. A mission to Brazil followed in September 1991.

A 1996 mission took him to the Philippines and in 1997 he visited programmes in Brazil and helped inaugurate the ‘Check Out for Children’ initiative of Sheraton Hotels and Resorts, a fund-raising alliance that has raised more than US$4 million for UNICEF. Sir Roger has subsequently visited and promoted projects in Mexico, Slovenia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Ghana, Indonesia, Japan and Korea.

In November 2001, Sir Roger helped launch a new alliance between world soccer governing body, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) and UNICEF. He points to a scheme in Kenya as an example of the alliance's innovative work. "Football is being used as a language in that project," he explains. "The vital message being communicated to the boys and young men is about safe sex, the use of condoms and preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS."

© UNICEF/HQ 99-0396/Thomas

Assisted by UNICEF and other relief workers, Sir Roger Moore distributes toys to Kosovar refugee children. TFYR Macedonia, 1999.

Sir Roger also serves as honorary chair of Kiwanis International's Worldwide Service Project to raise US$75 million for eliminating iodine deficiency.  Kiwanis International has leveraged more than US$63 million to fund UNICEF's programmes in 90 nations.

Throughout his long association with UNICEF, Sir Roger has regularly used speaking engagements and public functions to promote UNICEF concerns and fund-raising initiatives. Over the years, he has supported the advocacy and fund-raising activities of virtually every one of the 37 National Committees for UNICEF.

Putting fame to work

Sir Roger Moore was born and raised in south London and went to art school with the intention of becoming a painter. But his work as a film extra attracted attention and won him a place at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts. He subsequently joined the Cambridge Arts Theatre, which led to roles in London’s West End.

Sir Roger subsequently found success in a variety of film and television productions. He first came to wide recognition in the British television series The Saint. But James Bond was to make him even more famous. Sir Roger starred in seven extremely popular Bond films: Live and Let Die, The Man with the Golden Gun, The Spy Who Loved Me, Moonraker, For Your Eyes Only, Octopussy and A View to a Kill.

In January 1999, Sir Roger was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in recognition of his humanitarian achievements on behalf of UNICEF. Two years later he received the Marcus Garvey Lifetime Achivement Award and The World Service Medal from Kiwanis. In February 2003, Sir Roger was awarded the German Federal Service Cross from President Johannes Rau. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in recognition of his work with UNICEF in June 2003.