AP:  Ricky Martin, the world-renowned singer and UNICEF goodwill ambassador,
said that the word “refugee” had lost its value but that the
international community should “open its heart.”

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican spoke during a visit to Lebanon with UNICEF to meet Syrian refugee children.”At this point what we want is to make sure children get their rights.
Some children unfortunately are not going to school,” he said Thursday
in an exclusive interview with The Associated Press in Minnieh, north
Lebanon. News of the visit was released by UNICEF on Friday because of
an embargo.

The singer met with Syrian children in Zahleh, in the Bekaa Valley on
Wednesday, and in the Minnieh informal settlement, near the northern
city of Tripoli, the following day.

In Minnieh, the children performed “Maria,” the singer’s dance-along hit
tune, and played a game of soccer with the star. During his visit,
Martin also met teenagers attending life-skills training, according to
UNICEF.

The star, whose charity and advocacy work has focused on combating child
labor and human trafficking, said he was moved by a Syrian refugee from
Homs he met in Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley.

He says the 11-year-old refugee, named Batoul, is “working in agriculture, 12 hours a day. And she’s getting paid with water.”

“This is happening to our kids. This is happening to our future generation,” he said.

According to UNICEF, there are 2.8 million children out of school in the
region and child refugees are particularly at risk of exploitation and
abuse. The U.N. agency says it is addressing child labor by providing
free education and economic opportunities for parents and youth of
working age.