Liya Kebede

Liya Kebede is the rare figure who turned modeling fame into something larger. Born in Addis Ababa, she rose to the top of fashion, gracing the cover of Vogue twenty times, which is a staggering number that speaks to her staying power. What earns my respect, though, is what she did with that platform. Serving as the World Health Organization's Ambassador for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health since 2005, plus her work as a clothing designer and actress, shows real range and purpose. I admire when someone uses an industry built on image to advocate for something with genuine human stakes.

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Name (English)

Liya Kebede

Name (Japanese)

リヤ・ケベデ

Reading

りや・けべで

Born

March 1, 1978 (age 48)

Origin

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Height

178 cm

Occupation

model / actor / diplomat / fashion designer

Zodiac / Chinese zodiac

Pisces / Horse

Awards & achievements

• Trophée Chopard

• Official sitehttp://www.liyakebede.com/
• Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/liyakebede/
• Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liya%20Kebede
• Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AA%E3%83%A4%E3%83%BB%E3%82%B1%E3%83%99%E3%83%87
• Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q115201

Tags

• model
• actor
• diplomat

Last updated

September 18, 2026

Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.