Preity Zinta Takes On Biggest Role To Date

Thursday Preity Zinta was appointed the goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS in India, and aims to raise awareness against AIDS, along side the members of her Indian Premier League (IPL) team Kings XI Punjab.

Preity is taking this new role very seriously, and will be taking measures to ensure her message is heard.

"All our players will sport red ribbons during their matches. In our first match against Delhi Daredevils, we will take an HIV positive person to the toss to convey our message against stigma and discrimination," Preity said.

"Me and my team will produce a short commercial to spread awareness against the disease. I will be there, our captain Kumar Sangakkara and other players will also be there," she added.

Additionally, Kings XI Punjab will donate 25 percent of the profit from merchandise sales to UNAIDS, which will be used toward the improving the lives of HIV positive people.

On being appointed goodwill ambassador for UNAIDS, Preity said: "I have done many roles. This one is different. I am very happy."

"All human beings, wherever we are, have the basic right to be happy and healthy. I see this as a great opportunity to bring the realities faced by people living with HIV to the forefront and to call for attention to the injustices faced by them," she said.

Preity will strive to raise awareness about HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, with an emphasis on women, children and oppressed classes.

"Goodwill ambassadors are celebrities with a demonstrated commitment to improving the lives of people living with HIV. Highly talented in their own right, they all share an ability to bring issues to global attention, to galvanize support from the public and leading decision makers, and to raise urgently needed support and attention for vital UN programmes," Charles Gilks, country coordinator, UNAIDS, said.

"I am very pleased to appoint Preity Zinta as UNAIDS' special representative," Gilks added.

Preity has taken on a very large and important task as India is home to over 2.3 million HIV positive people.