Katy Perry named Asian charity ambassador by Prince Charles

Monitoring Desk

LONDON: Britain’s Prince Charles will announce US pop singer Katy Perry will become an ambassador for the British Asian Trust to help its fight against child-trafficking, the charity said.

Perry, 35, who is already a goodwill ambassador for United Nations children’s organization UNICEF, met the British heir-to-throne at a meeting of the Trust’s supporters and advisers in Mumbai last November while he was on a visit to India.

“I was impressed by their strong plan – from on-ground initiatives to fundraising – that will aim to cut child trafficking in half,” Perry said in a statement.

“That is why I am especially honoured to be named an ambassador for the British Asian Trust’s Children’s Protection Fund, and to help shine my light on the work that the British Asian Trust will be doing in South Asia, and to be a part of finding solutions to child-trafficking.”

Perry’s appointment will be announced at the Trust’s annual royal dinner at London’s Banqueting House which will focus on anti-trafficking measures and plans to combat child labour. The event will also be attended by British ministers and philanthropists.

The charity, founded by the prince and British Asian business leaders in 2007 to fight poverty, inequality and injustice in South Asia, said there are believed to be 5.8 million children working in forced labour in India, with many having to work 15 hours a day.