Mahira Khan appointed as UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador

KARACHI: Mahira Khan has been appointed as the UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador, the UN Refugee Agency announced on Wednesday.

Mahira has been actively supporting UNHCR’s activities for the last few years and has remained a strong voice for Afghan refugees in Pakistan.

“I feel privileged to have been chosen to serve this noble cause,” Mahira said at the appointment ceremony held on Wednesday in Islamabad.

She went on to say that she feels “proud that my country is one of the most generous countries of the world” for hosting Afghan refugees for the past four decades. “By becoming UNHCR National Goodwill Ambassador, I wish to stand behind such incredible acts of hospitality and humanity,” she added.

The actress added that a majority of refugees are being hosted by the developing countries and a sense of shared responsibility has yet to be achieved. “More needs to be done to support countries and communities which host refugees,” she said.

Read: Refugees are innocent and vulnerable: Mahira Khan

UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations George Okoth-Obbo commended Mahira for supporting UNHCR’s activities and for continuing to demonstrate her personal commitment towards refugees. I am delighted to see Pakistani celebrities coming forward in support of the refugeecause, making their voices heard locally, nationally and globally, and having a very strong influence on youth,” he said.

Read: Refugee crisis in numbers

He noted that high-profile supporters, such Mahira Khan, can serve as a symbol of partnership between the people of Pakistan and the international community.

UNHCR’s Assistant High Commissioner for Operations George Okoth-Obbo, Minister of State for States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON) Shehryar Khan Afridi, UNHCR’s Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific Indrika Ratwatte, UNHCR’s Representative in Pakistan Ruvendrini Menikdiwela, and other distinguished guests attended the ceremony.