Tinker Bell Granted Ambassadorship

Move over Angelina Jolie — Tinker Bell is the hot new ticket in town. (And no, we’re not referring to Paris Hilton’s dog.)

In a shameless — and some might say baffling — display of self-promotion, the United Nations has hitched its wagon to the premiere of the straight-to-DVD Walt Disney animated film Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure by naming Tink the "Honorary Ambassador of Green."

“This beloved animated character can help us inspire kids and their parents to nurture nature and do what they can to take care of the environment,” said Kiyo Akasaka, Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, according to a UN press release.

The announcement came just prior to a screening of the world premiere of Tinker Bell's latest flick at UN Headquarters in New York and was intended to promote environmental awareness ahead of the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen in December, where countries will aim to come to a new global agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Of course the move is a well-intentioned effort to help promote environmental awareness among children, but when you have UN representatives referencing cartoon characters as if they were real people … well, it just seems undignified, doesn't it?

And beside, whatever happened to Bambi?

Photo courtesy of Picklepud via Flickr.