Stevie Wonder, seen at Detroit's Motown Records 50th anniversary gala in November, is the latest UN Messenger of Peace. (Jerry S. Mendoza/Associated Press)Stevie Wonder might have dozens of music world trophies at home, but being named a UN Messenger of Peace "is truly an honour beyond any that I have ever imagined," the iconic singer told reporters in New York on Thursday.
The United Nations has tapped Stevie Wonder as one of its latest celebrity ambassadors, designating the award-winning soul and pop star its latest UN Messenger of Peace, with a special focus on aiding those with disabilities.
"It makes no sense to me, approaching 2010 in this new millennium, that we have people in the world that just because they can't see, we have not made this world accessible to them," Wonder said.
"That people who are physically challenged by being either paralyzed or a quadriplegic do not have accessibility to travel anywhere he or she would want to. It makes no sense to me that a person who may be deaf is not able to have accessibility in a way that is possible, when we are traveling in space — not just to the moon but beyond. It's unacceptable."
The singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and music producer — who has been blind since birth — is being recognized for his years of philanthropy, including work with the U.S. President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, the Children's Diabetes Foundation and Junior Blind of America.
The much-celebrated artist, who has racked up more than 20 Grammy Awards over the years, also called on world leaders to commit themselves to making the world more accessible and said he would treat his new post as a challenge, just like writing a song.
"At the end of the day… if I have to write a song, it's gonna be a No. 1," he quipped. "We're gonna win on this one, too."
The appointment, first announced late Wednesday, was confirmed at a press conference late Thursday morning presided by Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary general, and Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the UN.
Wonder is the 11th Messenger of Peace, following prominent figures such as conductor Daniel Barenboim, Nobel laureate and author Elie Wiesel, actor Michael Douglas and ethologist and anthropoligist Jane Goodall.
With files from The Associated Press
