The singer Shakira, well known for her activism on early childhood, has joined forces with President Luis Alberto Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to promote primary education and high-quality early childhood development.
"One of the most efficient ways to invest in the well-being of the people in our countries is through early childhood development. That is why the IDB and the ALAS Foundation have promoted successful initiatives such as this one," affirmed Shakira.
The first ALAS-IDB Awards revealed a high interest in early childhood throughout the region. President Moreno noted that "last year there were more than 700 nominations and now we are again looking for innovations and best practices in early childhood development. This year we hope to identify experiences which serve to inspire and can be replicated in all of Latin America and the Caribbean."
The awards will be granted in several categories: Best Center, Best Educator, Best Publication, and Best Innovation.
Nominations will be accepted until May 31, 2013.