Watch Shakira Perform 'Imagine' for Pope Francis

By Timothy Yap Sep 28, 2015 05:18 AM EDT

Latin pop star Shakira gave an elegant and intimate performance before Pope Francis as she sang the inspirational Beatles' tune "Imagine." Shakira's acoustic version of "Imagine" following the Pope's speech at the United Nations.

"We live in a world in which many of those who are born poor will die poor," she said.

"And it is up to us to be the first society to eradicate poverty and bring justice and equality to the most disenfranchised people on earth," she adde0d, before specifically addressing children's rights.

Then, she launched into "Imagine," with only a piano accompaniment behind her.

Shakira was an appropriate performer selection. A UNICEF goodwill ambassador who is vocally committed to improving the lives of disadvantaged children. In 1997, Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation. It is a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children all around Colombia. It was funded by Shakira and other international groups and individuals. The name of the foundation is taken from Shakira's third studio album called Pies Descalzos, released in 1995.

During her career, Shakira has performed at a large number of benefit concerts. In 2002 she sang at a Party in the Park concert fundraising for the Prince's Trust. That same year she performed at Divas Live which supports VH1's Save the Music Foundation. On July 2, 2005, she performed "Whenever, Wherever" and "La Tortura" on the Live 8 benefit concert at the Palace of Versailles, near Paris.

On July 7, 2007, Shakira opened the German leg of Live Earth in Hamburg. Her set included "Don't Bother", "Inevitable", "Día Especial" (with Gustavo Cerati) and "Hips Don't Lie". Shakira also performed at the "Clinton Global Initiative", where she performed her hits "Underneath Your Clothes", "Inevitable" and "Hips Don't Lie". On May 17, 2008, Shakira and twenty other Latin American and Spanish artists performed in Buenos Aires and Mexico City to raise money for Shakira's Latin America in Solidarity Action "America Latina en Accion Solidaria" (ALAS Foundation) charity.[156] This concert attracted 150,000 people in Buenos Aires. Although tickets were free, the demand exceeded the supply; some fans who were fortunate enough to secure free tickets resold them.