Priyanka Chopra Receives UNICEF's Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award, Says 'Giving Back Has To Be A Way Of Life'

Global icon Priyanka Chopra  who has been working with UNICEF for over 13 years now was recently honoured with the organisations' Danny Kaye Humanitarian Award. The India star was named the 2019 recipient of the Humanitarian Award by the United Nations Children's Fund in June this year and received the award at the Snowflake Ball in red high-neck one-shoulder backless gown.

"Giving back is no longer a choice. Giving back has to be a way of life," Priyanka said after accepting the award named after Danny Kaye, an American actor and philanthropist who was UNICEF's first Goodwill Ambassador

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I am in awe of the tireless efforts and unwavering commitment of the people who work for #UNICEF. Thank you for allowing me to be part of this journey. To serve as your Goodwill Ambassador is the privilege of my life. Special thank you to Geetanjali Master, UNICEF India, Marissa Buckanoff, my UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Chief, Henrietta H. Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, Caryl Stern, UNICEF USA President and CEI, and Charlotte Petri Gornitzka, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director | #UNICEFSnowflake Thank you to my team for your constant support. @natashapal for being here. @danasupnick @anjula_acharia @loumtaylor @sonyaguardo

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) on Dec 4, 2019 at 1:33pm PST

Veteran fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg handed over the award to the 37-year-old actor. Priyanka, who started her journey with UNICEF in 2006 with a small slum in Mumbai, also opened up about her experiences and stories about workinh with the  organisation.

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Thank you @therealdvf for taking the time and effort to present this award to me. Coming from a woman who has a long, distinguished list of accomplishments… it means so much. Diane has this amazing ability to make everyone she meets feel empowered. Thank you for showering your power on me, yet again, last night. @unicef @unicefindia @unicefusa #UNICEFSnowFlake

A post shared by Priyanka Chopra Jonas (@priyankachopra) on Dec 4, 2019 at 12:39pm PST

"I had just become an actor and I was figuring out that I had this platform. I had started associating with causes that I believed were important. I was working with thalassemic children, children's wards and suddenly I realised that there was a theme that I was working with a lot of kids. My then manager Natasha Pal told me that there is this organisation called UNICEF and maybe I should volunteer. "I started reading up a lot more and I started volunteering my time. A couple of years later, I became a national ambassador in India and then two years ago, I became a global ambassador for the UNICEF. The journey has been now 13 years," she told UNICEF USA. 

The 'Sky Is Pink' actress then when on to reiterate who being brought up by parents who were army doctors made her realise early in life, that what ever she has is a priviledge and use to for the service of ohers, otherwise  'what's the point, she said' Priyanka said quoting her mother Madhu Chopra. Her speech eneded with reciting Rabindranath Tagore's lines from 'Where the Mind is without fear'

Husband Nick Jonas commention on Priyanka's achivement said, "So inspired by you everyday. Congratulations beautiful."

Priyanka became UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador in December 2016, after 10 years of her work with the organization during its 70th anniversary event at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.  In 2017 May, Priyanka hosted the inaugural UNICEF South Africa fundraising gala, meet child survivors of sexual violence and heard their harrowing stories. Priyanka met and interacted with children in Ethiopia in May this year.