…Says The 89-year-old served as goodwill ambassador for more than 25 years until his death.

Former James Bond star Roger Moore who died Tuesday in Switzerland after illness was one of the longest serving goodwill ambassadors for the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Fund said in a tribute.

The 89-year-old served as goodwill ambassador for more than 25 years until his death.

“With the passing of Sir Roger Moore, the world has lost one of its great champions for children – and the entire UNICEF family has lost a great friend,” said UNICEF executive director Anthony Lake on the life of Moore.

“In his most famous roles as an actor, Sir Roger was the epitome of cool sophistication; but in his work as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, he was a passionate – and highly persuasive – advocate for children.

“He once said that it was up to all of us to give children a more peaceful future. Together with Lady Kristina, he worked very hard to do so.

“All of us at UNICEF extend our deepest sympathies to the Moore family, and join his many friends and admirers from around the world in paying tribute to his life and mourning his loss. He will be deeply missed.”

Moore, a British film, television and stage actor known for his portrayal of the fictional secret agent James Bond, was introduced to UNICEF by actress Audrey Hepburn.

“My curiosity got the better of me after Audrey Hepburn introduced me to UNICEF,” he said then.

“I wanted to find out more than just the facts and figures.”

He was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador on 9 August 1991.

His first mission was to Central America, to visit projects for children in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.

Over the years, his work with UNICEF also took him to Brazil, Ghana, Jamaica, Indonesia, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Slovenia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Philippines and Mexico.

He brought attention to the desperate conditions facing some of the world’s most vulnerable children and was a compelling voice on issues such as children’s rights, HIV/AIDS, landmine injuries, child labour and iodine deficiency.

In November 2012 Sir Roger was presented with the first-ever UNICEF UK Lifetime Achievement Award which then became the Roger Moore Lifetime Achievement Award in celebration of his dedication to UNICEF, both as a generous fundraiser and a global advocate for children’s rights.

On receiving the award, Roger said “I am perhaps best known for my role as Bond, but my role as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF is the one I am certainly most passionate about. It is beyond doubt that it’s the children and dedicated staff on the ground who deserve medals, but I am absolutely honoured and would like to thank UNICEF for this truly humbling award.”