UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, today announced the appointment of internationally acclaimed author Neil Gaiman as a global Goodwill Ambassador.

The announcement comes after three years of close cooperation between Gaiman and UNHCR to raise awareness about the plight of forcibly displaced people and to generate much needed funds.

On the occasion of his appointment, Gaiman will be live ‘in conversation’ with TV/Radio presenter and talk show host, Jonathan Ross, on UNHCR’s global Facebook feed today (20 February) at 16.30 GMT. Gaiman will discuss why he supports refugees and UNHCR, and take questions from viewers.

"I am deeply honoured to take on this role with UNHCR", said Gaiman. “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.”

Filippo Grandi, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees said: “Goodwill Ambassadors play an important role in creating better public understanding and support for refugees. Neil Gaiman has been a strong advocate of UNHCR and the refugee cause over a number of years and I am delighted to see him joining us as a Goodwill Ambassador.”

Gaiman had been working closely with UNHCR since 2013. He has championed UNHCR’s work through media interviews and via his social media channels. As well as travelling to Jordan to meet Syrian refugees, he has supported several fundraising initiatives and UNHCR campaigns and events, including #WithRefugees, the #IBelong campaign to end statelessness, World Refugee Day and the Nansen Refugee Award.

Neil Gaiman is not available for interview

For media inquiries please contact:

Coco Campbell, [email protected] , +44 7715 420 076

, +44 7715 420 076 Alison Tilbe, [email protected] , +44 7534 739 755

About UNHCR:

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR safeguards the rights and well-being of refugees and stateless people. In more than six decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives. UNHCR is on the front lines of the world's major humanitarian crises, including Syria, Iraq, Central African Republic, Afghanistan, South Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and countless other emergencies.