Shakira interviewed by Cromos Magazine

Shakira spoke with Cromos since the Bahamas where she is recording her next album. After the success of the concerts of Mexico City and Buenos Aires, she told us how she had united the artists and businessmen around her reason for the children. Dreams become reality.

Cromos: Is it true that foundation was born during a dinner with Alejandro Sanz in Miami? Who were the first artists and businessmen to join it?

Shakira: Yes. It was a dialogue between friends, between Alejandro, Miguel, Antonio and me. It has already made of however time we think that we had to make something. I had just participated in Live 8 which had been Bono's initiative for Africa and we told ourselves that it was the instant to make something all together for our continent. We also thought that it wouldn't be easy to make it only and that we needed the most important businessmen of the region to use in this reason. Not only for their silver but also for their ideas and their knowledges of what takes place in the region. I would say that Carlos Slim and Alejandro Santo Domingo were the first to answer to the call, but then all joined it and proved to be very available.

C: Who made responsible for contacting and persuading the businessmen?

S: We all took responsibility. According to the relations which each had. Alejandro Santo Domingo, for instance, is a longstanding friend and Antonio and me he spoke. I also contacted Carlos Slim, to whom I learnt to like and to respect many things.

C: Every concert of your tour was an opportunity to rally friends in your reason?

S: I try to contact people when I see that it can walk. I try to explain our reason during each of my trips. We all carry this foundation in our heart and we leave not cross opportunity when we identify somebody who can help us to mark this difference.

C: What artists and businessmen most helped you to rally new support of your reason?

S: The truth is that we all got involved a lot. Juanes, Ricky, Juan Luis and all the others. It would be unfair to say that some people made it more than others. Alas is each of us and he would have been very difficult to found this association without the support of all. On the side of the businessmen I think that Carlos Slim, Alejandro Santo Domingo, Emilio Azcárraga and so many others were pillars which all the others encouraged to join us.

C: What was your strategy to persuade the businessmen and the latin-american rich men who on the foundation are not altruistic and who did not get involved in a continent where the half of the population is poor?

S: More than of a strategy, we spoke with them about a vision of reality existence of which nobody can disclaim. We admitted that all together could make more than separately. Many these businessmen help across their own foundations for a long time, almost all made in their country a lot. In that case we introduced them a more general vision, by speaking about the continent and about children who are in the middle of our attention. It was very nice to see how we had been all brought to the same way of thinking fast on the force of this idea and on the necessity to make something.

C: On what domains will concentrate Alas to fight poverty?

S: We'll concentrate on the children from 0 to 6 years old. We spoke with numerous experts of the BID and we arrived at conclusion there that the key was in the precocious stimulation of the children. It's the most important stage in the development of childhood and, paradoxically, that where they accept least help of the State. We want to make become aware of the necessity to educate and here the children in the first years of their life and to ask the governments to turn a special attention at this stage. Touch which they don't invest in education and the precocious stimulation of the children from 0 to 6 years old can't be anymore recovered later.

C: You will continue to be a door word and one leader to gather all Latin America?

S: This idea was not the only mine. We all contributed, the artists as the businessmen. Alone, I wouldn't have been able to go very far. And all those who are members of Alas are of carry words. Nobody was specifically indicated for the being. I'll say that we are all of carry words of this reason, up to the mass media which helped us to broadcast our message.

C: What will take place after concerts?

S: Now, we're going to enter the most important stage which consists in accomplishing our plans. The businessmen promised to invest 200 million dollars more and the instant now came identified and prepared plans, countries and programs where this silver arriving at each of the families that needs it. We, the artists will travel in all region, we will try to meet the different governments to continue explaining our reason and asking that they support our programm in concrete terms. We'll make angry with the chose with businessmen, of members of governments and the persons who can put precocious infantile education in agenda. It's important to add that it's not Alas which harvests silver, but that it's us, the same in cooperation with the foundations of the businessmen which invest these sums, which lead a plan so that this silver is invested in the problems of the children from 0 to 6 years old, which are in the middle of our action.

C: In the specific case of Colombia, how be going to work on you with other Colombian guests: Juanes, Carlos Vives and Jorge Celedon?

S: We go absolutely collaborated, as we makes until now. Juanes, Carlos, Jorge and me let us defend all the same reason. We all wish to help the children. I think that more things join us that music or our country. The desire to help and to use our publicity to get involved to those who have anything joins us.

C: Speak to us a little bit of your next album, will it be in English and/or in Spanish, will there have duets, when will it go out?

S: Uuyy, I'm hardly going to begin thinking of it because all that took place with foundation postponed the preparation of my album. It will go out next year and I can say to you that there will be a lot of surprises and the good music!

oh, Tadri...simply u r great.....just keep put on....