Tuba Büyüküstün is one of Turkey’s most famous and highest-paid actresses. Büyüküstün’s work in television and film has brought her both fame and critical acclaim. In fact, Büyüküstün has received five prestigious Televizyon Dizisi awards, in addition to a nomination for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “20 Dakika.” Moreover, the actress has a large social media following with 5.2 million Instagram followers. In recent years, Büyüküstün has used her celebrity status and online platform for humanitarian advocacy. More specifically, Tuba Büyüküstün has partnered with UNICEF to advocate for children’s health and development.

UNICEF’s Mission

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) began in 1946 to provide aid to countries recovering from World War II. The organization’s primary goal is to provide humanitarian aid to children around the world. Its celebrity ambassador program began in 1954 with actor Danny Kaye. The program aims to bring attention to the organization’s mission through celebrity platforms. Today, more than 200 celebrities from around the world, including Selena Gomez and P!nk, currently participate in this awareness program.

Büyüküstün’s Involvement with UNICEF

Tuba Büyüküstün began her partnership with UNICEF in 2014. Since then, Büyüküstün has participated in a number of campaigns and relief programs with the nonprofit organization. For instance, for her first official UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador mission, she visited children at a camp for Syrian refugees in Kilis, Turkey. Büyüküstün spoke to the children and engaged with them in their daily learning activities. Afterward, the actress and ambassador participated in the opening ceremony of the first UNICEF school located near the camps. In 2018, Büyüküstün also joined in the “One Day at a Museum” initiative, which brings Turkish and Syrian children to various art exhibits and interactive experiences at the CerModern Museum in Ankara.

In July 2020, Tuba Büyüküstün and UNICEF joined forces with the World Health Organization (WHO) to educate the public about the risks and implications of COVID-19. Nearly 35,000 people tuned in to hear from Büyüküstün and WHO professionals.

Why Büyüküstün Partnered with UNICEF

The actress and mother of two have spoken about her dedication to UNICEF’s work. Büyüküstün stated that she is greatly honored to work with UNICEF as a mother. She claimed that “Children are always innocent, no matter where they live.” Büyüküstün explained that she is part of UNICEF because “[children] are all our children regardless of their religion, language, ethnicity and gender. And I think it is the responsibility of everyone to create a world where all children can have equal opportunities.”

Büyüküstün’s outreach is a great example of a public figure using social influence for good. Thanks, in part, to Goodwill Ambassadors such as Büyüküstün, UNICEF is able to advocate for the well-being of children throughout the world.

– Nina Lehr
Photo: Wikimedia Commons