Ambassadors help raise awareness of the humanitarian emergencies which Australia for UNHCR supports and educate Australians about how they can help.
Our Ambassadors come from a broad range of areas. Some are leading humanitarian advocates, often refugees themselves who now call Australia home. Others are high profile supporters from sectors such as the arts, entertainment, finance and sport.
Here are some of our Ambassadors in action:
Carina Hoang, award-winning author, speaks of her experience fleeing Vietnam as a child.
Actor Marta Dusseldorp visiting refugee families based in Jordan.
Former Sierra Leonean refugee Yarrie Bangura reads her poetry at our Mother’s Day Lunch.
Akec Makur Chuot, AFL player and former refugee from South Sudan, shares her story at a World Refugee Day lunch.
Raja Yassine is a passionate advocate and supporter of young refugees from minority communities. Starting her career in teaching, Raja now works as a Scholarship Coordinator at Newington College where she assists young refugees with gaining access to education.
Tech guru and former refugee, Zoe Ghani is our Leading Women Fund Ambassador.
Anjilla arrived in Australia in 1989 with her family after fleeing the Soviet-Afghan war. She earned a degree in international law and worked as a human rights lawyer before transitioning into the world of fashion. Today, Anjilla is known for sophisticated designs inspired by her Afghan heritage. She also designs and sells traditional Afghan dolls, which are handmade by Afghan refugees in India using salvaged cotton, to fundraise for UNHCR’s work.
Cricketing legend Ian Chappell speaks at a World Refugee Day event.
John Denton was Chairman of the Board of Australia for UNHCR for more than a decade. He is currently Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the ICC Merchants of Peace Fund, and also serves on the World Health Organisation Foundation Advisory Board.
Michael Dwyer served on the Board of Australia for UNHCR for 22 years, and was Chairman from 2018 to 2022. He has been a leader in the investment and financial sectors for decades. In 2011, he was named a Member of the Order of Australia for service to the superannuation industry, and to the community through Australia for UNHCR.
Golgol Mebrahtu, soccer player and former refugee, speaks at the 2021 World Refugee Day lunch.
Peter Gould is a leading creative designer. His creative studio team use design, research and a deep understanding of Muslim audiences to help purpose-driven organisations create brands and experiences for a more inclusive and representative world – and he credits his personal spiritual journey as a major influence.
Boost Juice founder and entrepreneur Janine Allis is Australia for UNHCR's Leading Women Fund Ambassador. Janine is the leading voice for our LWF program, aimed at engaging women professionals and changemakers to support refugee women and girls.