UNDP China National Goodwill Ambassador - DADAWA

　　The Western China is rich with a large number of communities of ethnic minorities, consisting of a variety of colorful ethnic cultures, in a beautiful surrounding landscape - mountains, forests, grasslands, and deserts. However, these minority regions are benefiting only to a small extent from the country’s development due to lack of infrastructure and communication facilities with the outside world. At the same time, the forces of globalization have created a situation where these unique ethnic characteristics are at the risk of being lost.

　　For many years, Dadawa has explored her artistic and creative skills, performing a variety of art forms - but traditional ethnic music in China has always been her starting point. Due to her longstanding experiences in composition and her field-based interactions with minorities in the country, she has become fully aware of the pride and the musical wealth attached to ethnic cultures – a reality not only concerned with ethnic cultures in China, but existing among ethnicities globally. The main principles leading her to be designated as the UNDP China National Goodwill Ambassador, were her determination and her contribution to the improvement of the livelihood of minorities, as well as her extensive knowledge of, and understanding for, the challenges a sustainable development path for cultural heritage constitute, and its importance for the future.