UN appoints Leonardo DiCaprio as Messenger of Peace on climate issues

Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has been appointed as a United Nations Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told journalists at a press conference Tuesday, RIA Novosti reported.

“Mr. DiCaprio is a credible voice in the environmental movement, and has a considerable platform to amplify its message,” Ban Ki-moon said.

“I am pleased he has chosen to add his voice to UN efforts to raise awareness of the urgency and benefits of acting now to combat climate change,” he added.

DiCaprio joins 11 other UN Messengers of Peace and one Goodwill Ambassador and is expected to address the UN Climate Summit on September 23, which gathers government, business, finance and civil society representatives on climate.

“It’s an honor to accept the role of UN Messenger of Peace on Climate Change and to support the Secretary-General in his efforts to address one of the most important issues we face as a global community,” DiCaprio said.

“I feel a moral obligation to speak out at this key moment in human history - it is a moment for action. How we respond to the climate crisis in the coming years will likely determine the fate of humanity and our planet,” he added.

Since 1998, the actor has headed his own Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation aimed at protecting the remaining wilderness on the planet. DiCaprio has also made numerous efforts to attract public attention to protecting biodiversity, ocean and forest conservation, and climate change.