Award-winning English singer and songwriter Dua Lipa visited Lebanon over the weekend to meet refugee children and young people. Her visit comes in support of UNICEF’s work in the region.
While in Lebanon, Dua Lipa spoke to vulnerable children about the obstacles they face in their daily lives.
She also posted several heart-warming posts and photos, documenting her 3-day trip.
One of the lengthy captions read, “I’ve had the most eye-opening experience being out in Lebanon for the past 3 days working with @unicef meeting children at the refugee settlements and youth training and skill-building programs[…]”
In addition to visiting the Bourj al Barajneh camp in Beirut’s suburbs, Lipa headed to the Bekaa Valley. She oversaw projects implemented in the informal settlement of Terbol by the Lebanese Organisation for Studies and Training (LOST ). LOST is a Lebanese NGO and UNICEF youth partner organization.
Dua felt a personal connection to the children.
Following her visit, she was heard saying, “This is personal for me. My parents fled a war-torn region and built a life for themselves in a new place. And each one of the refugee children I met has parents just like my own, who have tried to make the best decisions they could for their families.”
The London-born singer-songwriter is the daughter of Kosovar-Albanian parents who fled the conflict and political instability in the Balkans in 1992. Her family later return to Kosovo with Lipa when she turned 11.
Speaking to UNICEF, she said, “I feel lucky that I was given a chance, especially from an immigrant family, to have been born in the UK and been able to live my dream, because I had that opportunity, and I feel like every other child should have that opportunity too. To be able to be in a place where they can thrive and be the best version of themselves.”
The UN and its sister organizations have been implementing various projects for the benefit and well-being of the millions of refugees currently residing in Lebanon.
These past few months saw Ben Stiller and Susan Sarandon visiting our country to carry out as well philanthropic work for the organization.