Tanzanian hip hop artist Frida Amani./PHOTO'UNEP
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has appointed Tanzanian hip hop artist Frida Amani as its first-ever Advocate for Ecosystem Restoration, ahead of the seventh session of the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi.
With over one million social media followers, Amani is one of East Africa’s most celebrated female rappers and media personalities.
She has earned multiple accolades, including the Music Cities Award, which recognizes how music can drive social, economic, environmental, and cultural development, and the Orange Award in Tanzania.
“Growing up, we saw nature as a great protector providing water, food, shade, and meaning. We also watched it become increasingly vulnerable to climate change and unsustainable exploitation, resulting in floods and droughts,” Amani said.
“By joining the UN Environment Programme, I wish to inspire my fans to become part of a generation committed to ecosystem restoration. It is no longer enough to lament nature’s loss; we must bring it back. We are Generation Restoration.”
In her new role, Amani will mobilize young people to prevent, halt, and reverse ecosystem degradation.
At the midpoint of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), her advocacy is expected to strengthen efforts to rehabilitate degraded natural areas from oceans and forests to cities and savannahs.
“Frida sings, speaks, and acts for a healthy environment, so I am pleased to welcome her to the UNEP family,” said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.
“Reflected in her work is a relentless passion for restoration, where care for people and nature go hand-in-hand, making her an inspiring role model for young people across Africa and beyond.”
Amani’s commitment to social and environmental causes is evident in her music and activism.
Her works include Kisiki Hai, which highlights farmer-managed natural regeneration in Swahili, and campaigns such as Performance for Nature and Mote Mama Gizani, which promote maternal health.
She is also a Goodwill Ambassador for the Lead Foundation and runs her own Amani Foundation, through which she organizes initiatives like the Performance for Nature concert held in Tanzania earlier this year.
About UNEP and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration
The UN Environment Programme is the leading global authority on environmental issues, providing guidance, partnerships, and leadership to help nations improve the quality of life without compromising future generations.
The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030), led by UNEP and the Food and Agriculture Organization, aims to prevent, halt, and reverse ecosystem degradation globally.
The initiative seeks to restore billions of hectares of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, combining political support, scientific research, and financial investment to scale up restoration efforts worldwide.
About the UN Environment Assembly and Goodwill Ambassadors
The UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on environmental issues, bringing together all 193 UN member states to set the global environmental agenda, guide UNEP policy, and foster international partnerships.
UN Goodwill Ambassadors and Advocates are high-profile figures who volunteer their time and influence to raise awareness of UN initiatives.
They support global efforts to improve lives while promoting causes close to their hearts.
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