Ricky Martin, A Spokesperson For Middle East Youth

Ricky promised he will try to put an end to any stereotypes regarding the West believes about the Arabian people being all terrorists.

"I promise I will become a spokesperson, if you allow me to, a spokesperson on your behalf. I will defend you and try to get rid of any stereotypes.

I have been a victim of stereotypes. I come from Latin America and to some countries, we are considered 'losers,' drug traffickers, and that is not fair because that is generalizing,"
said Martin, dressed in a black tee-shirt and jeans.

"Those comments are made out of ignorance and we have to sometimes ignore the ignorant, but we also have to educate the ignorant. You have me here as a friend," he added.

Ricky Martin, a United Nations Children's Fund Goodwill Ambassador since 2004, said he's planning a concert tour of the Mideast and North Africa, including Jordan and the Palestinian territories, tentatively scheduled for May 2006.

His organization, Ricky Martin Foundation, fights against child pornography and prostitution worldwide. In Thailand, the organization had built 225 homes to protect children orphaned by the tsunami.

Ricky Martin is an active participant in many social causes including the Pediatric AIDS Foundation, the Luciano Pavarotti & Friends fundraising concerts, the Carousel of Hope, the Rainforest Foundation, and others.

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Ricky Martin has issued an apology after he donned a traditional Arab kaffiyeh headscarf with the slogan "Jerusalem Is Ours" written in Arabic on it.

The Livin' La Vida Loca singer was in Jordan yesterday, where he attended the silver jubilee of the Arab Children's Congress, which was set up 25 years ago by the country's Queen Noor to promote creativity, peace, cross-cultural understanding and tolerance.

At one point while posing for photographs with fans, he draped the kaffiyeh over his shoulders, without being able to understand the statement it carried.

Martin says in a statement: "I had no idea that the kaffiyeh scarf presented to me contained language referring to Jerusalem, and I apologise to anyone who might think I was endorsing its message.

"My role is entirely humanitarian, and I will continue to promote the elimination of stereotyping anyone - be they from Latin America, the Middle East, or anywhere across the globe."

Late yesterday, Martin travelled to Thailand where his organisation, the Ricky Martin Foundation, has built 225 homes to protect children orphaned by December's Indian Ocean tsunami.

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