As new UN development agency advocate, ‘Game of Thrones’ actor shows poverty the ‘red card’

Globally acclaimed Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has kicked off his role as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to support the 17 Global Goals known as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, agreed last year by world leaders to tackle our planet’s toughest challenges by 2030.

In his first stint as the UNDP advocate, Mr. Coster-Waldau, best known for his starring role on HBO’s Emmy Award winning Game of Thrones, refereed the world’s first amateur women’s World Cup soccer tournament in New York on Sunday, in which each team fought to promote one of the 17 Goals via the sport.

“Refereeing this powerful, passionate and dedicated group of women was a humbling experience. But I have to admit, it felt good to show poverty the red card,” he said in a news release.

“My main mission as UNDP Goodwill Ambassador is to raise awareness and support for the Global Goals to end poverty, which cannot be achieved without empowering women. So being part of the women’s tournament for the Global Goals was a perfect way to get started,” he added.

Mr. Coster-Waldau plays fan favourite anti-hero ‘Jaime Lannister’ on the worldwide hit HBO series Game of Thrones. The father of two girls, he said that is passionate about ending discrimination and violence against women and girls everywhere.

In addition to his award-winning acting career, Coster-Waldau is also a producer and screenwriter. After graduating from the Danish School of Theatre in Copenhagen, he received his first major film role in Nightwatch in 1994, a critical and commercial success in Denmark. He has since starred in various films in Europe and North America, including Gods of Egypt, The Other Woman and 1,000 Times Good Night. He will appear later this year in Small Crimes, and Spinning Man in 2017.

“There are 17 Global Goals responding to every important challenge, from poverty to climate change to gender inequality. Whichever challenge you believe to be the greatest facing our world, one of the 17 Goals is designed to overcome it,” Mr. Coster-Waldau said. “I hope that the positive energy of today’s tournament will inspire others to join us and UNDP as we take charge of our future and take action to make this world a better place for all,” he added.

Teams will be awarded special points for creativity in advocating for their chosen goal.

With the appointment, which was announced Saturday, Mr. Coster-Waldau joined a roster of UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors, including award-winning movie star Michelle Yeoh and former soccer star Zinédine Zidane.