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Neil Gaiman Is Now An Official UN Global Goodwill Ambassador, Working With Refugees

Published Tue, 28 Feb 2017 11:00:04 -0600

Comic book author Neil Gaiman has been appointed an official UN Goodwill Ambassador for the organization's refugee wing, UNHCR. Gaiman, who has traveled to Jordan to meet with refugees and participated in fundraising initiatives for the cause, has been working closely with UNHCR for three years.

"I am deeply honoured to take on this role with UNHCR", said Gaiman in a press release last week. "There has never been a more important time to stand in solidarity with refugees. I've had the privilege of travelling with UNHCR to Jordan to meet Syrian refugees. In amongst the horror and the nightmares, there were many small and glorious stories of survival and hope, resilience and dignity. If anyone could have the conversations I had, if only everyone could sit and speak to refugees, face to face, they would see that we really are the same, that we really are part of one family. And, at its best, a family does all it can to support each other."

"I'm not sure what this means in real terms," Gaiman said of the appointment later on his blog. "I'm going to keep doing the work I've been doing since 2013 to draw attention to refugees, to raise awareness and knowledge, and to help them."

"I was disappointed to learn I won't get diplomatic immunity from parking tickets," he followed up, quickly admitting that it was a "joke. Weak joke" and clarifying that "U.N. Goodwill Ambassadors pay their own parking tickets, air tickets, hotel bills etc."

You can watch a Facebook Q&A with Gaiman and Jonathan Ross about the appointment:

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