Saint Shakira Goes To Washington

Meeting with President Obama and Vice President Biden about increased education efforts, then on to Robert Zoellick to launch the “Early Childhood Initiative: An Investment for Life”, which will put $300 million towards helping to create Early Childhood programs in Latin America and the Caribbean, Shakira was on the move in Washington yesterday.

Shakira’s new World Bank project partners with Columbia University’s Earth Institute, headed by Dr. Jeffrey Sachs. Shakira explained the details of the project to over 100 ambassadors and representatives and international organization leaders gathered in Washington. 

“We look forward to working closely with ALAS and the Earth Institute in the months and years to come as we move this important agenda forward,” said Zoellick. “ALAS — Shakira in particular — have made an enormous contribution toward placing young children at the heart of the public policy discourse in Latin America.” via The Cable

A bit tongue and cheeck, Foreign Policy’s The Cable blog writes that Shakira met with White House powers in the Oval Office, whereas the Dalai Lama last week only rated the Map Room and left via an obscure entrance.

The Cable says that Shakira also spoke with President Obama on immigration reform. The singer and face of ALAS was last in Washington in Jan. 2009 to perform at President Obama’s Inauguration.  Anne

Photos via Daily Mail