Entertainment

Rihanna's New Title Means Her Role In Barbados' Future Is Majorly Influential

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After years of giving back to Barbados, Rihanna and her homeland are making things official with an amazing new title for the "Work" singer. As reported by Billboard, on Thursday, Sept. 20, Rihanna was given an official ambassador role by the Barbados government. From hence forth you can refer to her as Rihanna, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary. Her new title means that she will be responsible for "promoting education, tourism and investment for the island." These are areas the singer has been invested in for years, which makes it a major honor that she'll now be supporting Barbados in an official capacity.

Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley issued a statement via the official Barbados government website praising the pop icon and all that she's done for the country. The statement reads,

"Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education. She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home. She has also demonstrated, beyond her success as a pop icon, significant creative acumen and shrewdness in business. It is therefore fitting that we engage and empower her to play a more definitive role as we work to transform Barbados."

This isn't the first time that Barbados has bestowed a title on Rihanna. In 2008, she was appointed as one of Barbados' Cultural Ambassadors. However, since then, the work she's done to promote education, health awareness, and tourism to the place where she was born has only increased.

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Rihanna shared her own statement via the government press release. The pop icon said,

"I couldn't be more proud to take on such a prestigious title in my home country. Every Barbadian is going to have to play their role in this current effort, and I'm ready and excited to take on the responsibility. I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mottley and her team to reimagine Barbados."

In 2012, Rihanna donated $1.75 million to the Clara Braithwaite Centre for Oncology and Nuclear Medicine (named in honor of the singer's grandmother), and in 2016, she started a scholarship fund to help U.S. and international students from Brazil, Barbados, Cuba, Haiti, Grenada, Guyana, and Jamaica pay for college in the United States. She was also on hand in 2016 to celebrate 50 years of Barbados' independence.

Those are just a handful of the ways that Rihanna has helped the place she grew up since achieving fame. The "Umbrella" singer always has been all about giving back to the country that she credits for bringing so much joy into her life. In an undated interview with Condé Nast Traveler, Rihanna was asked where her happiest spot on the island is, and she gave the response of a true Barbadian when she replied, "It's impossible to answer. I know I am biased as it's my home, but the whole place just makes me feel happy."

Now Rihanna can continue to spread the love for Barbados, while also continuing to make a difference in the country's economy and healthcare and education systems. It's a win-win situation for everyone involved, and further proof that there's nothing Rihanna can't do.