Youth
icon
and
Bollywood
star
Ayushmann
Khurrana
is
a
thought
leader
who
is
aiming
to
bring
constructive,
positive
changes
in
society
with
his
progressive,
conversation
starting
entertainers.
Ayushmann,
voted
as
one
of
the
most
influential
people
of
the
world
by
TIME
Magazine,
has
been
recently
appointed
as
UNICEF's
Celebrity
Advocate
for
their
global
campaign
EVAC
(Ending
Violence
Against
Children).
On
National
Youth
Day,
Ayushmann
stresses
how
the
youth
of
the
country
can
fight
back
against
any
kind
of
violence
on
them.
"Only
when
young
people
come
together
with
a
common
understanding
and
join
forces
in
putting
an
end
to
violence
against
children,
can
we
hope
for
some
substantial
changes.
Influencing
peer
groups
to
recognize
violence
in
its
many
forms
is
something
the
young
people
can
do
very
effectively," says
Ayushmann.
The
versatile
actor
adds,
"From
small
actions
like
calling
out
a
friend
who
is
harassing
a
girl
on
the
street
or
reaching
out/calling
helpline
to
report
acts
of
violence
against
their
peers
that
they
come
across
in
daily
life,
supporting
the
survivors
in
seeking
help,
or
asking
adults
like
parents,
teachers
and
school
authorities
to
listen
to
them
are
some
concrete
actions
that
young
people
can
take
to
make
a
difference."
Ayushmann
also
lays
out
his
journey
forward
with
UNICEF
in
2021.
"In
2021,
UNICEF
aims
to
build
greater
awareness,
dialogue
and
public
action
on
prevention
of
and
response
to
violence
against
children.
At
the
same
time
we
need
to
continue
to
advocate
for
increased
investment
and
attention
to
services
and
programmes
that
assist
survivors
of
violence,"
he
says.
Ayushmann
hopes
that
through
his
association
with
UNICEF,
he
will
be
able
to
help
kids
in
need
for
urgent
protection.
He
says,
"Our
goal
is
for
every
child
to
benefit
from
a
loving,
safe
and
supportive
environment
throughout
their
childhood
and
adolescence
that
will
help
them
grow
up
strong
and
healthy
-
mentally
and
physically."
He
adds,
"Violence
against
children
is
deeply
pervasive
in
society
and
takes
on
many
different
forms
such
as
bullying,
sexual
abuse,
corporal
punishment
and
violence
online.
Very
often
the
perpetrators
are
people
who
children
trust
or
are
familiar
with,
including
parents,
family
members,
neighbors,
and
friends.
Ending
violence
against
children
is
everyone's
business
and
needs
continuous
efforts
by
each
one
of
us."