© Greaeme Williams

"I've witnessed the total devastation of HIV and AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa... I've met too many brave and beautiful children who are struggling to care for their sick parents or their orphaned brothers and sisters. Many children infected with HIV will not live to see their fifth birthday... Children suffer not only from this virus but also the stigma, poverty and destruction that accompany it."

Lucy Liu was appointed U.S. Fund for UNICEF Ambassador in 2005. She is particularly committed to supporting UNICEF's HIV/AIDS awareness and education programs.

Here is the latest on her efforts for the world's children.

In June 2007, Lucy traveled to the Democratic Republic of Congo and spent time in both the District of Ituri and the North Kivu province, where she met children formerly associated with armed-groups, survivors of sexual violence, and communities of displaced people who have abandoned their homes to avoid the ongoing violence in the region.

In early 2007, Lucy Liu is participating in UNICEF UpClose, an awareness-building campaign powered by Yahoo! Answers. The UpClose program is a new forum for discussing the challenges facing the world's most vulnerable children. She asked: "How do you save a child's life?"

In September 2006, Lucy Liu’s fourth art exhibition, “Glass Onion,” was on view at  the Milk Gallery in New York City. Lucy’s original works of art were then sold at auction—raising over $267,000—to benefit UNICEF. Click here to view some of the pieces from the exhibition.

In February, Lucy traveled to the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan to visit with survivors of the October 8, 2005 earthquake. On her trip, she witnessed the extraordinary scale of devastation and human suffering that children and their families have endured — and UNICEF's work to help them rebuild their lives.

In November 2005, Lucy lit the UNICEF Snowflake for the 2005 holiday season. The UNICEF Snowflake is a dazzling crystal ornament which graces the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street in New York City during the holiday season as a beacon of hope, peace and compassion for vulnerable children around the world.

Watch a video report on the Snowflake lighting:
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In November 2005, Lucy participated in a charity auction with Hello Kitty, named Special Friend of Children by UNICEF, and created an original Hello Kitty art piece. Proceeds from the auction went to benefit UNICEF's "Go Girls" campaign, which works to place more girls in school so that all children can receive the quality education they deserve.

To witness the impact of HIV/AIDS on children and communities, Lucy traveled to Lesotho in August 2005. She recorded her experiences in a virtual field trip. Click here to read an O magazine article about the HIV/AIDS crisis in Lesotho and how you can help.