Prince Charles Names Katy Perry Ambassador of British Asian Trust

By Christopher Vourlias

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Katy Perry was named ambassador of the British Asian Trust at the charity’s annual Royal Dinner on Feb. 4, an honor conferred on the pop star by Prince Charles, heir apparent to the British throne.

While spotlighting the Trust’s anti-trafficking efforts in India, the Prince of Wales announced that Perry will serve as ambassador of the British Asian Trust’s Children’s Protection Fund for India, a country the pop star said “has long held a special place in my heart.”

“On my last visit, I was able to meet with the Prince of Wales and other leaders in Mumbai, and I was impressed by their strong plan, from on-ground initiatives to fundraising, that will aim to cut child trafficking in half,” said Perry, who has championed children’s rights as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.

“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. Children are vulnerable and innocent and have to be protected.”

Founded by in partnership with British Asian business leaders in 2007, the British Asian Trust is establishing a massive fund to support anti-trafficking efforts in South Asia.

At Tuesday’s dinner, the Prince of Wales announced a multimillion-pound pledge from Indian philanthropist Natasha Poonawalla. The Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) has also pledged to match funds raised up to £25 million ($32.6 million).

India is believed to have 5.8 million children working in forced labor. The British Asian Trust has been working with business leaders, elected officials, and civil society groups in Jaipur to eliminate child labor from supply chains and encourage child labor-free products in markets, as part of the Child Labor Free Jaipur Initiative. Over the next five years, the Trust plans to dramatically increase its work to substantially reduce child trafficking and abuse across the country.

“We’re delighted to announce as our newest ambassador and are looking forward to working with her on raising awareness of the work we carry out across South Asia,” said Manoj Badale, chair of the British Asian Trust. “Katy is a keen supporter of our work and her appointment marks another successful year for the British Asian Trust.”