Massimo Ranieri

"I am in a privileged position. Every morning I wake up thinking how lucky I am for the things I have received in life. If I can help FAO to convey their worthwhile message, by giving poor people a chance to live and a chance in life, then this is, in a small way, my way of repaying the debt."

A real talent of Italian music, film and theatre, an accomplished actor and playwright with a flair for comedy, Massimo Ranieri, born in Naples, Italy, became an FAO Goodwill Ambassador in October 2002.

Massimo “Lo scugnizzo napoletano” is immensely popular in Italy and internationally known.  The recipient of important prizes and awards for his unique vocal styling and his intense theatre and cinema interpretations (such as Metello, Death Rage, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and others) he has maintained his position amongst the top male solo artists for the past thirty years and continues to do so.

He has generously given of himself and not only as an entertainer.  He has long used his immense popularity as a performer and an actor to speak out on social issues.

Massimo has regularly participated in campaigns to draw attention to the less privileged in his home country, and he has often urged his audiences to show solidarity with the under- privileged.  At concert appearances, he often speaks about his role as an FAO Goodwill Ambassador and the plight of the poor and hungry, urging his audiences to support rights to survival.

On 2 July 2009, Italian singer Massimo Ranieri dedicated his concert entitled "Canto perchè non so nuotare", held at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, to FAO. During the press conference preceding the event, he highlighted his role as FAO Goodwill Ambassador and spoke about FAO's mandate to fight hunger and poverty.  In the course of the event, from 19.30 hrs to 21.30 hrs in front of an audience of 7,000 people, two mega screens showed in sequence the WFD logo and many pictures of TeleFood projects.