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Nana Mouskouri

UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador since 1993

"Everywhere I went, I realized that children are society's victims. We have a duty to speak to political leaders, to influence people to give these children a better future."

Nana Mouskouri, Greece

Globally acclaimed with a career spanning over 60 years, Nana Mouskouri has sold over 300 million records. Born Ioanna Mouskouri in 1934, in Chania, Crete, she was a child of war who found haven in music, studying voice and piano at the Athens Conservatory.

As a contestant on the 1963 Eurovision Song Contest, Nana gained instant popularity and launched a long-standing TV career. A master of languages, she has recorded 1,600 songs in 21 languages.

In 1993, Nana dedicated herself to humanitarian causes and became an active UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. Between 1994 and 1999, she served as a member of the European Parliament.

Nana’s first trips as Goodwill Ambassador were to Chile, Mexico and Viet Nam, where she visited UNICEF-supported projects, met with government officials and performed in concerts that benefited UNICEF programmes. She has also visited Bosnia and Herzegovina, Guatemala, Kenya, Madagascar and Romania. Nana has generously supported the fundraising and advocacy activities of UNICEF’s National Committees.

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