“Michelle Yeoh is a powerful advocate for road safety," remarked then-UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, speaking as a guest at the Gala. "Road safety is no accident. Most deaths are preventable and take place in developing countries. Mr. Todt and Ms. Yeoh are creating awareness that road safety is not a privilege, but a basic human right. I thank them for their work." Since accepting UNA-NYC’s award at our Gala in 2016, Yeoh has gone on to have an even more active role in the United Nations. That same year, she was appointed Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Development Programme (UNDP), and immediately began using her position to mobilize support for the then-new Sustainable Development Goals. Sustainable fashion and disaster preparedness are just a few of the many causes Yeoh has championed.
“My goal is to leverage the platform I’ve been given through my career in film, television, and entertainment to raise awareness of and mobilize support for the Sustainable Development Goals,” Yeoh said in a 2019 interview with UN News. “Specifically, how each and every one of us can play an important role in making them a reality.” In 2012, one of the most popular films in our Screening the Issues film-talk series was The Lady, which starred Michelle Yeoh in her portrayal of Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Congratulations, Michelle, from everyone at UNA-NYC on your historic win — and thank you for your support of the UN and its work.
_______ Read about and see our photo gallery of the 2016 UN Day Humanitarian Awards Gala Dinner with Michelle Yeoh | 
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