Roger Federer
UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Alumnus
"It is our responsibility to connect with the real world beyond our sport [and] use our fortune to make a difference in the lives of those who most need it."
Roger Federer is considered one of the all-time greats of professional tennis. He is known for a combination of power and finesse in competition, and grace and honour outside the world of sport. He was appointed UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2006.
Roger supported UNICEF when the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami struck in 2004. In the disaster’s aftermath, he made a significant personal donation to the relief effort, joined other athletes in raising funds and organized an all-star exhibition tournament with proceeds benefiting UNICEF’s tsunami-relief programmes. The exhibition launched a global partnership between UNICEF and ATP, the governing body of men’s professional tennis, aimed at harnessing the power of tennis to help ensure health, education and protection for every child.
Before these efforts, Roger used his high profile to bring the world’s attention to the plight of vulnerable children around the globe. In 2003, he established the Roger Federer Foundation to fund projects benefiting disadvantaged children, with a focus on his mother’s native country, South Africa.