CAIRO, 10 August 2006 — Egyptian actress and social activist Safya Al-Amri declared her unwillingness to continue as a goodwill ambassador of the United Nations, which she said has done nothing effective to stop the Israeli civilian massacres in Lebanon, the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper reported yesterday.
Safya said she was prompted to action by actor Hussein Fahmi’s recent resignation of the honorary UN goodwill ambassadorship.
“I did not feel honored anymore by working with an organization which did not honor humanity.”
The artist said she would continue her service to the society as an artist by serving the thousands of deprived in the region even if not associated with the UN.
Safya, who has been serving over the past nine years as a UN goodwill ambassador, said she sat dumbfound and shocked by the way Israeli forces struck Lebanese civilians.
She was waiting for a strong response from the United Nations “to stop the injustice and reach out to help the victims but the organization established to serve the humanity, on the other hand, preferred to sit quiet cowered by the United States and Israel.”
The actress-cum-social activist added, “I witnessed and experienced the unfathomable grief of a mother viewing her dead children’s bodies and limbs strewn around amidst the rubbles.”
The actress has also promoted educating women about the inhumane practice of female circumcision and founded the Dar Waleed Orphanage in Giza. She has also been very active in raising funds to aid the Palestinians.
