Diego Forlan, a member of the Uruguayan national soccer team and player of Spanish club Villarreal, was named Tuesday as UNICEF ambassador to Uruguay.
The striker of Villarreal signed the contract with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) through which he will be the ambassador of the organization to Uruguay for a year, and for whose services he will receive the symbolic payment of one US dollar.
"I am very happy about this, and I expect to be able to collaborate for many Uruguayan children have a happy childhood, such as mine," said Forlan during a ceremony at a Montevideo hotel.
Government officials, sports celebrities and many children attended the ceremony.
An opinion poll showed that Forlan is the principal idol of Uruguayan children. The striker is the second top striker in Spain.
According to the contract, he will help to promote UNICEF projects for the creation of a national network for the defense ofUruguayan children and in fundraising campaigns.
Forlan, a former player of England's Manchester United and Argentina's Independiente, trains in Montevideo with the Uruguayannational team to gear up for the World Cup qualifiers.
According to official figures, poverty affected in 2004, 56.5 percent of the Uruguayan children below five years old, and 50 percent of the children up to 12.
UNICEF has 200 ambassadors all over the world, in particular world-class personalities of culture and sports, whose duty is collaborating to promote the rights of children and teenagers.