We're pleased to report that Shakira has been nominated for two Billboard Music Awards - Top Social Artist and Top Latin Artist. The Awards will take place at Las Vegas' MGM Grand and be broadcast live on Sunday May 20, 8/7c on ABC. For a full list of the nominations click here.
The Mario Santo Domingo Foundation-FMSD-, the ALAS Foundation, the
Barefoot Foundation and aeioTu – Carulla Foundation have created an
unprecedented alliance, to support early childhood in Colombia.
As part of the Cero a Siempre (Zero to Always) strategy, Primero lo
Primero (First Things First) is a public-private partnership to build,
equip and operate 13 new early childhood development centers in
different regions of Colombia, which will be serving over 5,920
children.
This initiative was born thanks to the significant contributions of the
Ministry of Education and the ICBF and commitment of the Mario Santo
Domingo Foundation- FMSD-, the ALAS Foundation, the Barefoot Foundation
and aeioTu – Carulla Foundation and 30 public and private institutions.
The partnership was launched at an event yesterday that featured Shakira,
Alejandro Santo Domingo and Maria Clemencia Rodriguez de Santos, First
Lady of the nation.
Said Shakira: "With Primero lo Primero, we begin to realize the dream of guaranteeing
the basic nutrition, education, health and early learning for our
children in Colombia in the early years of life, the most crucial to
their future. With this alliance we confirm that the best social work is
done when the private sector decides to join the public sector to
maximize resources and efforts,” stressed Shakira, Founder and Honorary
President of the Barefoot Foundation, Founder and activist of the ALAS
Foundation.
The first ALAS-IDB Awards took place in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia yesterday, with 700 people and institutions nominated for excellence in early childhood development.
Martha Ivette Rivera Mexican Alanis won the ALAS-IDB award for Best Teacher; the book "Antonia" of the Colombian author Paula Mejia Maria and illustrator Paula Dufour of Argentina won the award for Best Publication; the Colombian foundation Fundamor won the award for Best Center; and the Brazilian NGO Saúde Criança won the award for Best Innovation.
The awards were presented by the founder of ALAS, Shakira; the president of ALAS, Alejandro Santo Domingo; and the president of the Inter-American Development Bank, Luis Alberto Moreno.
After the awards, Moreno said: "The best way to change the future of a person is through early childhood development. Investments in early childhood have higher return than at any other time of life. So the IDB and the ALAS foundation have joined forces in promoting quality early childhood development. "
Meanwhile, Shakira said: "This ceremony is a good opportunity for us to recognize and replicate initiatives of high quality child development in Latin America. It is urgent to further expand the commitment of governments and agencies to provide early childhood and all our children the opportunities they deserve. I hope these awards are a good incentive to make further efforts to align and advance the goal of optimal living conditions for our children in Latin America."
On Thursday, April 12th, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the ALAS Foundation will present their joint ALAS-IDB Awards, which recognize innovations and excellence in early childhood development programs. IDB President Luis Alberto Moreno and ALAS founder Shakira will present the ALAS-IDB awards in a ceremony to be held at Napoleón de la Rosa auditorium of the Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar, Colombia.
The awards, which take place ahead of the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, are the first of their type in Latin America and the Caribbean, honoring professionals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to early childhood development in the region
The winners in the categories of Best Teacher, Best Publication, Best Innovation and Best Center were chosen from over 700 nominations after a three-step selection process conducted by prestigious early childhood development experts. Prizes include educational kits, training for early childhood development teachers in the Unites States, computers, video game consoles and television sets.
For more information on the ALAS-IDB Awards, click here.
We're delighted to announce that Shakira has been nominated for the 2012 Prince of Asturias Awards, the Spanish awards which are presented to individuals or organizations that make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs.
Shakira's nomination for the Concord Award is in recognition of her humanitarian work, with the Barefoot Foundation, ALAS, as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF.
The winners will be presented with their awards at a ceremony in Oviedo, Spain, later this year.
We're very pleased to report that Shakira has been nominated for 10 (ten!) awards at this year's Billboard Latin Music Awards. She's up for:
- Artist of the Year - Female Artist of the Year - Song of the Year - Digital Female Artist of the Year - Album of the Year - Digital Soloist - "Latin Pop" of the Year - Solo "Latin Pop" Songs of the Year - Soloist Album of the Year - Social Networks Artist of the Year.
The ceremony will take place on April 26 at the University of Miami in Florida and will be aired on TV. Click here for more info.
Today in Cannes, France, Shakira received the medal of “Chevalier De L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres” from the French Minister of Culture Frédéric Mitterrand. Shakira is in Cannes to open the NRJ Music Awards tonight with her number 1 hit “Je L’Aime A Mourir”.
She was honored this afternoon by the French Minister of Culture Frédéric Mitterrand who presented Shakira with the medal, which recognizes significant contributions to the arts and literature. Shakira is the first Colombian ever to receive this honor, which has previously been awarded to TS Eliot, George Clooney, and Clint Eastwood.
Shakira commented: “I am so humbled to receive this honor in a country like France that has shared an important cultural legacy with the rest of the world.”
We are delighted to announce that Shakira won a Latin Grammy award in Las Vegas on Thursday night, receiving the Best Female Pop Vocal Album for "Sale el Sol".
At the ceremony held at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Shakira performed three songs: "Before Six", "Devotion" and "Crazy".
On Wednesday night, Shakira also received a tribute from the Latin Recording Academy, when she was recognized as Person of the Year 2011 for her outstanding artistic achievements and philanthropic work. The gala dinner and concert was attended by many Latin music artists who reinterpreted Shakira's best-known songs. It also included a surprise for Shakira when her father, William Mebarak, took the stage and sang a special song, "My Darling".
Shakira sent us the following message to accompany this video summary of this ceremony. "I want to share with you a video from one of the most special nights of my life. A night where peers, friends and family made me feel very loved. Thank you to all of them from the bottom of my heart. Shak"
