Ice Hockey Star and Diplomat Made UNWTO Ambassador for Tourism

PR No.: PR 18077

Madrid, Spain, 16 October 2018 – World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili named Russian hockey legend and diplomat Viacheslav Fetisov a UNWTO Ambassador for Tourism today, recognizing his global contribution to promoting values of fairness, tolerance and cooperation for positive change.

Viacheslav Fetisov was named UNWTO’s latest Ambassador for Tourism today in a small ceremony at the UNWTO Secretariat Headquarters in Madrid.

As an ice hockey player and coach, Fetisov achieved great success built upon a foundation of strong determination, teamwork and humility. He gained international fame as one of the best ice hockey defensemen in history and excelled in international sport for three decades, later becoming general manager of the Russian national team. Fetisov was one of the first ice hockey players to break down international barriers, leaving the Soviet Union for the American Hockey League in 1989.

In the public sphere, Fetisov has had a diplomatic career spanning six years as Minister of Sports of the Russian Federation and chairmanship of the World Anti-Doping Agency Athletes Committee. Fetisov is currently a member of the Russian Federal Assembly and in 2017 was appointed as its Special Envoy for Interparliamentary and International Public Organizations on the Development of Sport. In May this year Fetisov was designated UN Environment’s Patron for the Polar Regions.

“UNWTO is proud and honoured to have Viacheslav Fetisov as our new Ambassador for Tourism. He will be a prominent voice for global tourism and a powerful representative for broadening UNWTO’s engagement”, said Secretary-General Pololikashvili during today’s ceremony.

UNWTO has the United Nations’ mandate to promote tourism’s many benefits on societies and the economy. The Organization’s Ambassadors programme enlists important public figures to create greater awareness of tourism, the values it represents and its impact on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNWTO Ambassadors have all achieved outstanding public recognition for their work and association with UNWTO and core United Nations values.

Contacts:

UNWTO Communications Department

Tel: (+34) 91 567 8100 / Fax: +34 91 567 8218 / comm@unwto.org