Shakira: touching performance at Premios Juventud 2023

In recognition of his philanthropic work, Shakira delivers touching speech after receiving Agent of Change award at 20th Premio Juventud.

Shakira founded the Pies Descalzos Foundation in 1997 to promote education and support for disadvantaged children in Colombia. The Foundation has improved access to quality education, nutrition, and health care for low-income communities across the country, with a particular focus on protecting young children. To date, the foundation has supported 150,000 school-age children.

Dressed in a gorgeous red dress and showing off her gorgeous blonde hair, the Colombian star accepted her award and gave a truly impassioned speech. That’s what he said.

Shakira performing at Premios Juventud 2023

Thank you for this honor, Kanni. Thanks for the nice words. It is impossible to receive this recognition without sharing it with the incredible team of our Pies Descalzos foundation and with Patricia Serra, a director who works tirelessly every day for the most vulnerable communities in Colombia.

This award is also for you.

We live in an ambiguous world surrounded by beautiful music, beauty, TikTok dancing, Instagram filters. But at the same time, there are realities that cannot be “filtered out”. There are places where those born poor die poor just because they can’t get a quality education.

It’s hard to believe, but there are places where people are discriminated against based on their sexual inclinations, skin color, or social status. It is an imperfect world, but, fortunately, in constant change.. And this is something that should not be wasted.

When my 10-year-old son sadly tells me that his friend would like to change his skin color or that the other person is being marginalized because of his preferences. As a mother, I have an obligation to explain to him that he should not stand aside and stand aside, that he should speak up and protest against this and everything else with which he does not agree.

That’s right, Milan. I am relieved to see that today’s youth are doing this more and more. On social networks, voice the news that excites us and reveal stories that, if not for you, would never have become known. Ask questions, denounce injustice, seek the truth. Milan and Sasha are with me today, and this is a great joy for me. I want my kids to understand that you don’t have to be a pop star to be an agent of change..

You don’t have to have a foundation, be a politician or a leader, be rich or famous. To be an agent of change, you must be able to distinguish between right and wrong. You must be convinced that something can be changed and not let anyone force you to think otherwise.

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All this is power, and you young people have that power. If you are angry about the dynamic of exclusion, if you do not want to be insensitive to the suffering of others, and if your voice is heard, then I can be sure that you and my children will be the hope of many and that you will be true agents of change. Thanks a lot.

Premios Juventud celebrates its 20th anniversary at the Coliseo José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico with the theme “Exprésate a tu Manera” (“Express yourself your way”). The ceremony will be broadcast on Univision.