UN, Discovery Channel launch awareness campaign in Latin America, Iberian Peninsula

The United Nations today announced that its has teamed with the Discovery Channel to launch a special television campaign throughout Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula aimed at increasing awareness about important global issues with the help of five international celebrities serving as UN Goodwill Ambassadors.

Starting next week, public service announcements (PSAs) will be broadcast to millions of Discovery Channel viewers in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, Colombia, Spain and Portugal. Each 60-second spot - hosted by Goodwill Ambassadors Danny Glover, Harry Belafonte, Roger Moore, Peter Ustinov, and Catarina Furtado - will cover such topics as HIV/AIDS, biodiversity, girls' education, women's health and immunization.

The initiative, which is part of the UN Works Programme, uses the Discovery Channel's popular "What Have You Discovered on Discovery?" campaign as a vehicle for the messages.

Carmel Mulvany of UN Works said the collaboration is part of an ongoing joint effort with Discovery Networks to develop original programming, web-based features, educational outreach and other promotional activities. "Our goal is to use the reach and resources of a global media company to raise awareness about global issues and show how the United Nations works to make a difference in the lives of ordinary people," she said.

Ms. Mulvany called the PSAs "a unique opportunity for the Goodwill Ambassadors to use their prestige and celebrity to reach Spanish and Portuguese speaking audiences with very important messages."

Echoing this view, Kelley Nichols, Network Group Director for Discovery Channel, Discovery Networks Latin America/Iberia, said, "Through this unique collaboration, the Discovery Channel is providing a new platform for the UN's Goodwill Ambassadors to reach people regarding critical issues."