ALAS (Fundación América Latina en Acción Solidaria) is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

with the intent to launch a new social movement for a collective commitment to comprehensive

Early Childhood Development Early childhood development is the period of rapid physical, psychological and social growth and change that begins before birth and extends into early childhood. While early childhood is not well defined, one source asserts that the early years b ...

programs in Latin America. ALAS was founded by Colombian singer and

UNICEF UNICEF (), originally called the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund in full, now officially United Nations Children's Fund, is an agency of the United Nations responsible for providing humanitarian and developmental aid to ...

ambassador

Shakira Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is n ...

, and its Honorary President is Nobel laureate

Gabriel García Márquez Gabriel José de la Concordia García Márquez (; 6 March 1927 – 17 April 2014) was a Colombian novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter, and journalist, known affectionately as Gabo () or Gabito () throughout Latin America. Considered one ...

. Notable members of ALAS include

latinx ''Latinx'' is a neologism in American English which is used to refer to people of Latin American cultural or ethnic identity in the United States. The gender-neutral suffix replaces the ending of ''Latino'' and ''Latina'' that are typical o ...

artists Juanes, Alejandro Sanz, and Miguel Bosé.

Concerts

On 17 May 2008, for the first time, two concerts were held simultaneously in Argentina and Mexico. Shakira, Alejandro Sanz, Calle 13, Paulina Rubio, Gustavo Cerati and others artists performed in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, where 150 thousand people gathered. In Mexico City, Miguel Bosé, Ricky Martin, Chayanne, Lucero and Diego Torres were some of the artists on the stage list. Juanes did not participate in either concert. The Mexico concert was attended by approximately 200 thousand people. Both concerts were completely free and their only goal was to make the public aware of the problems around poverty of Latin-American children.

Controversy

In response to allegations of mismanagement,

Antonio de la Rúa Antonio de la Rúa Pertiné (born 7 March 1974) is an Argentine lawyer, and the son of former president Fernando de la Rúa (who governed Argentina from 1999 to 2001) and Inés Pertiné. He was an advisor to his father during his father's pres ...

, one the organization's Vice Presidents, denied the claims, and explained that there was no evidence of mismanagement, nor a reason for the recent exodus of many of the members.

ALAS – IDB Award

The ALAS – IDB Award was created in 2011 jointly by the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) and the ALAS Foundation to recognize "high quality, suitable intensity and length programs and interventions that combine early education, psychosocial stimulation, nutrition, health and works with the family".ALAS web page

Award Categories

* Best Center * Best Educator * Best Publication * Best Innovation

Footnotes

External links

ALAS Foundation's WebsiteALAS Founder Shakira's Pies Descalzos Foundation
* The ALAS Foundation Press Release (2006-12-12)
"The ALAS Foundation Is Born: America Latina en Accion Solidaria"
Retrieved on 2009-06-07. * Juanita Samper Ospina (2009-03-11)
"Colombiano por adopción, involucrado en escándalo de corrupción en el Partido Popular español"
eltiempo.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-07. * Mónica Palm (2009-03-10)
"Directivos de Alas, en trama de corrupción en España"
{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100309054332/http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2009/03/10/hoy/panorama/1718112.asp , date=2010-03-09 prensa.com. Retrieved 2009-06-07. * Gastón Rodriguez (2009-04-17)

elargentino.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-07. * Brenda Yastremiz (2009-05-10)
"Protagonistas: Antonio de la Rúa"
perfil.com. Retrieved on 2009-06-07. Child-related organisations in Colombia Early childhood educational organizations