Make a wish: Cate Blanchett visits Syrian refugee on his birthday

Hollywood star Cate Blanchett ended a trip to Lebanon with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to visit Syrian refugee camps in the country this week.

The award-winning actress' trip came ahead of World Refugee Day on June 20.

Blanchett met Ahmed, a Syrian refugee who was celebrating his 14th birthday, at the Mazboud Community Centre.

Cate Blanchett

Ahmad, who left Syria as a younger schoolboy and came to Lebanon to work in multiple jobs before joining his uncle at his bakery shop.

“He was an A grade student back home, but is currently not in education and working full time at a bakery to help support his family. However Ahmad remains positive, hoping to return home and one day fulfil his dream of becoming an airline pilot,” the UNHCR website said.

During her stay, Blanchett attended a theater performance put together by Ahmad and other young Syrian refugees.

The performance tackled the issue of early marriage in the Syrian refugee community. Blanchett's website features a short video that documents the actress' trip. The video includes scenes of Ahmad telling his story, snippets of the theater performance, and Blanchett addressing the plight of Syrian refugees.

In a statement to UNHCR, Ahmad said: “The play was very successful, and we performed it three times in front of a live audience. We were really nervous the first time, but then we got used to having an audience. We are now developing our theatre group, and we’re working on a play about child labor that we wish to perform all over the world.”