Eminent advocates

Eminent advocates help to increase public awareness of the refugee cause and our work at UNHCR. They can also play an important role in mobilizing resources and raising funds.

An eminent advocate is someone of standing and influence in their own community and the wider world, such as royalty, academics, religious leaders and major figures in the business world.

The honorary title is bestowed by UNHCR to recognize an individual’s strong and active support for its work.

  • Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, who has helped with projects for forcibly displaced women from Somalia and Syria, was named the first UNHCR Eminent Advocate in May 2013.
  • H.E. Sheikh Thani Bin Abdullah Bin Thani Al-Thani, who has helped advocate for refugees and displaced populations all over the world, was appointed as UNHCR’s Eminent Advocate on 9 October 2019.
  • Mr. Wanchai Tachavejnukul, who has supported unrestricted funding for refugees and displaced populations all over the world since 2017, was appointed as an Eminent Advocate for UNHCR on 24 May 2023.