Jaya Ahsan meets Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden as UNDP goodwill ambassador
Prominent Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan has recently met with the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) goodwill ambassador in Bangladesh.
The Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, who is also a goodwill ambassador for the organisation, has recently come to Bangladesh in a four-day visit along with the Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell and UNDP Assistant Secretary General Ulrika Modeer.
Posting a few pictures with the princess, Jaya shared snippets of their meeting through a social media post on Thursday (March 21).
She wrote on her official Facebook page, "As UNDP Bangladesh's Goodwill Ambassador, it's a pleasure meeting the HRH Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, on her visit to Bangladesh. Hope we continue this journey of partnership to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)".
Jaya was reinstated as the UNDP's goodwill ambassador in Bangladesh in February 2023, and she will serve in this voluntary role till January 2025.
She also served as UNDP's goodwill ambassador for a year in 2022. During her tenure, the acclaimed artiste aims to support the organisation by highlighting important issues like sustainable development goals (SDGs) to mobilise support and raise awareness to achieve the goals by 2030.
Speaking to The Daily Star, Jaya said, "I am honoured to be able to continue the good work with the UNDP as its goodwill ambassador and feel extremely privileged to continue in the team for working towards these goals. I renew my vow to continue advocating and mobilising action to work on SDGs through online and offline media and all other platforms I have access to."
"With only seven years left to achieve the SDGs, it is high time we realise our shared responsibility in making our planet a better place. What that means is that each of us, as citizens of the planet, needs to play our part to help achieve the SDGs," she added.
Meanwhile, this was the first visit of the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden to Bangladesh in the capacity of UNDP goodwill ambassador. In October 2023, she was appointed UNDP goodwill ambassador.
The purpose of her visit was to learn about Bangladesh's development journey and study the progress and challenges in implementing the SDGs, focusing on climate, gender equality, the green and digital transition, and the role of the business sector, informed the Swedish Embassy to The Daily Star.
She plays a key role in increasing awareness and engagement for the Sustainable Development Goals and a sustainable future where no one is left behind.
Sweden's development cooperation with Bangladesh goes back to the time of independence in 1971. Moreover, Sweden was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh. In 2022, the two countries celebrated 50 years of bilateral relations.