ALAS, Xuxa Meneghen and Brazil join efforts to benefit children

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - 30 September 2011 - The Brazilian government together with ALAS Foundation and the Xuxa Meneghel Foundation officially launched today a partnership in support of early childhood. This partnership, proposed in March of this year by the President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff and Shakira, includes, among other things, action plans to increase access in quality education, health and nutrition in this country. The event was attended by important personalities and representatives of the Brazilian government including the Minister of Human Rights Maria do Rosario, the Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sergio Cabral, as well as the Colombian artist and ALAS representative,Shakira and Brazilian presenter and president of the Xuxa Foundation, Xuxa Meneghel.

“Both ALAS and I are proud to be part of a program that provides the children of Brazil with education, health and nutrition, the tools they need to break the cycle of poverty and inequality.

The first 6 years of a child's life represent the most important stage of development. It is in these years when their brains and capacities, their functions and basic skills are developed. Therefore, I am convinced that investing in Early Childhood Development represents an investment in the future of our countries.

I hope that programs like the one we are launching today in Brazil are replicated in all of Latin American. The possibility to end poverty and marginalization is at our fingertips. Let's keep working together so our children may paint a better future for themselves and for us all.”

The main objective of the program is to strengthen early childhood education policy in Brazil with priority given to children from 0 to 6 years of age. In order to do so, the program will advice participating municipalities to improve the quality of care in preschools, among other actions. The training will focus on four areas in particular: quality teaching methods, human resource selection, teacher training and working with the family and the community, using a child rights-based approach. The goal is to reach 100 institutions in a period of four years -25 centers per year- starting in October 2011, in the State of Rio de Janeiro to gradually expand the range of action by 2015.

Encouraging the development and implementation of public policies and programs that give priority to early childhood development (ECD) is, undoubtedly, the best investment for the future of Latin America. So today, the presentation of the partnership between the Brazilian government, ALAS and Xuxa Meneghel Foundations, is not only an important step for Brazilian children, but for the development of Latin America.

Shakira's Speech at the White House

Being here today is a tremendous honor for me.  I am thankful to President Obama and I am humbled that my philanthropic experience could be helpful in some measure and can be used to amplify the message and work of the President and this Commission.

Latino youth are the fastest-growing group in America, and more Latino children are living in poverty than children of any other racial or ethnic group. For a number of reasons, young Latinos in this country disproportionately drop out of school and far too few finish college.  And as I have seen in my own Foundation work, the only road out of poverty is education - of that I am convinced.

Investing in the educational achievement for Latinos will not only determine the economic future and competitiveness of this nation, but can serve as a model for the world.

I hope that through my appointment to this commission, I will be able to share what I’ve learned through the 15 years I have been involved in the education of Latino children. I am sure you will agree with me that race and ethnicity shouldn’t be factors in the success of any child.

It is my belief and its also been demonstrated that if we provide early childhood education to Latino children it would take less than a decade to reap the benefits since investment in early education is proven to generate the fastest returns to the state.

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With more ECD programs there will be less Latino students being held back, less dropouts and less crime involving school-age children; and they will be more productive individuals to society.

It's proven that most Latino kids who drop out of school and perform poorly in high school didn't have access to an early childhood education and lacked essential attention, stimulation and  nutrition during the first 6 years of their lives.

Therefore, it is clear that the most powerful avenue for boosting academic achievement is improving the basic academic skills of children before kindergarten.

The Obama administration has made a point to improve Latino education and – as I spoke to the President previously – I am extremely passionate about working with the White House to plan an early childhood education summit in the coming year.

Latinos are the largest minority group in this country and as the Latino population grows, the U.S. economy becomes more and more dependent on its success. Americans must better understand the impact that the growing Latino population is having on the way we live today and on this nations future. Inevitably this country and its economic prosperity will also largely depend on our Hispanic kids.

There is no doubt that the future of the United States is inextricably tied to the future of the Latino community here and the education of its youth.

Thank you again, this is a great honor for me, I am so happy to be here.

Shakira Honored as the 2011 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year

Shakira, who is currently nominated for three Latin GRAMMY Awards, including Album Of The Year, will be honored for her renowned artistic and philanthropic contributions at a tribute dinner and star-studded concert on Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2011, at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. Songs by Shakira will be performed by notable artists and friends of the honoree. A major portion of the net proceeds from the gala will benefit Pies Descalzos and Barefoot Foundation as well as The Latin Recording Academy's Latin GRAMMY in the Schools educational efforts.

Shakira will have the distinction of becoming the youngest artist to receive the Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year honoree. She joins a list of artists that includes Plácido Domingo, Carlos Santana Gloria Estefan, Gilberto Gil, Julio Iglesias, and Ricky Martin, among others.

For information on purchasing tickets or tables to the 2011 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year tribute to Shakira, please contact The Latin Recording Academy ticketing office at 310.314.8281 or ticketing@grammy.com.

Shakira Talks About the Barefoot Foundation on CNN's Situation Room

CNN's Wolf Blizter talks to singer and education advocate Shakira about the Barefoot Foundation and our work to ensure that every child has the right to a quality education.  Click here to watch the video