Dubai: Dubai's well-heeled set may have turned out for one of the highlights of the polo season yesterday to catch sight of ponies, players and stamp in a few divots, but it only took one perfectly aimed flick of long dark hair for Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram to divert attention away from the chukkas — and onto charitable causes.
The petite singer was the surprise guest of honour at the Cartier Polo Challenge on behalf of the children's charity Unicef, for which she is a goodwill ambassador.
The French jeweller, which hosts the event annually at the Desert Palm hotel, presented the star with a Dh700,000 cheque which will go towards the charity's goals of protecting and educating children in need around the world,
She took time out from being mobbed by press and fans to speak to Gulf News. "I am very happy to participate in this event," she said.
"It's my first time at the Cartier, and I'd like to thank Cartier for the grand gesture that they made towards Unicef."
Ajram, speaking in a mixture of French and Arabic, said her work with the charity, which began when she was chosen as the Middle East's first female goodwill ambassador in 2009, will go beyond simply appearing at events.
"We have many goals... we are going to do a song, that's for sure, and we'll do a song for children. There are many projects... firstly we have a goal for [preventing] violence against children," Ajram, who is also currently focused on the needs of one child in particular: her daughter Mila, born in May 2009, said.
The World Music Award-winning singer and actress is also at work on her own album, which she hopes to release in two months. "I'm preparing my new CD... I still have a couple of songs to sing, and I will travel to Egypt to put the final touches on the CD. I hope it will be good," she said.
Dress sense
Ajram, like most guests, was dressed in designer clothing, and said she'd picked out her look on the personal advice of the legendary designer behind the clothes — Azzedine Alaia. Of her short white dress, waist-cinching belt and towering sandals, she said: "It's my style. [He] told me to wear this."
But she also had glowing reviews for the many Lebanese designers who are making waves in the world of fashion.
"Of course we are all proud of Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad. We have lots of designers who are very special in Lebanon, and I have many dresses from Elie Saab and Zuhair Murad," Ajram said.
She attributed the recent resurgence of Lebanese fashion to the designers' unique talents. "I think they have a very special taste, they are gutsy and they are always in fashion!"
