Shakira has been rewarded for her work with impoverished children with a medal from the United Nations.
The Colombian-born pop star, 33, spearheads The Barefoot Foundation, which provides nutrition to more than 6,000 children in Colombia. In addition, Shakira has worked as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and is member of The ALAS Foundation, an advocacy group for children across Latin America.
The “She Wold” singer was presented with the Medal of Social Justice for Peace at a small ceremony in Geneva on Wednesday. UN labor chief Juan Somavia called Shakira a “true ambassador for children and young people, for quality education and social justice.”
Shakira made a call for others to lend a hand to those in need: “It’s not too late to keep our promise to our children, but we must act now. Together, we can make education and decent work for all a reality.”
This event was part of the UN’s World Day of Social Justice celebration. Other celebrity ambassadors have included Susan Sarandon, Mia Farrow, Whoopi Goldberg, David Beckham, Jessica Lange, Orlando Bloom, Angelina Jolie, Selena Gomez, and Ricky Martin.