Palestinian Singer Mohammad Assaf named goodwill UN ambassador

http://www.maannews.net

Mohammad Assaf became Palestine's first Arab Idol on Saturday.

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Mohammad Assaf, the first Palestinian to win the popular Arab Idol TV singing contest, will also become the UN's first Palestinian goodwill ambassador.

A diplomatic source in Beirut, where MBC's Arab Idol is filmed, told Ma'an the agreement was signed days ago to make Assaf the first-ever Palestinian refugee to become a goodwill UN ambassador, becoming the Palestine refugee agency UNRWA's first-ever regional youth ambassador, the source said Saturday.

http://youtu.be/Aj-pyJF6ckU

"A man with a golden voice is going to take the Palestinians' voice to the universe. At long last, a fantastic story out of Gaza that will touch the hearts of the world," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity as the ambassadorship had not yet been announced.

"It is is a wonderful day for Palestine and for the UN."