Bear Grylls has become the first British ambassador of President Volodymyr Zelensky‘s official fundraising platform of Ukraine, United24.
The platform was created shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 to provide a website where anyone in the world could donate funds to rebuilding the country’s infrastructure, healthcare and military.
The funds are transferred to the National Bank of Ukraine and assigned to relevant ministries.
Grylls, who visited Ukraine and met with President Zelensky for a documentary in December last year, said he’s “proud” to be supporting the people of Ukraine.
“You have shown such courage and determination in the face of adversity and are a global symbol of resilience and defiance,” he said.
The famous adventurer and award-winning television presenter visited Ukraine with a film crew to create the documentary, War Zone: Bear Grylls Meets President Zelensky.
He was reportedly invited to the war-torn country by Mr Zelensky himself.
The pair strolled through the snowy streets of Ukraine, with Mr Zelensky explaining how children there have “become adults” and the war has forced them, including his own son aged 9, to grow up fast.
It aired on Channel 4 on Tuesday before it was announced that Mr Grylls would be promoting United24’s Rebuild Ukraine program.
An Instagram post on Mr Zelensky’s account read: “Bear Grylls has been supporting Ukraine since the first days of full-scale war. His educational company BecomingX, together with Amazon and Accenture, is developing the BecomingX Ukraine educational platform for Ukrainians.
“After a year of resisting the Russian invasion, the support of people like Bear Grylls is very important. Together with other United24 ambassadors, he will help spread the truth about the war and unite the world around helping Ukraine.”
Gryll’s BecomingX is a motivational digital platform provided to schools and homeschoolers to help students with their personal development, with Grylls introducing every lesson.
United24 collaborates with international charities and partners. Donors choose to either support Ukraine’s defence, medical aid or rebuilding the country’s infrastructure.
United24 offers goal-oriented fundraisers with specific targets, as well as communication campaigns in the media featuring the platform’s ambassadors.
Other ambassadors of the donations website include Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, singer Barbara Streisand and American astronaut Scott Kelly.
