Barranquilla (Colombia) (EFE).- A sculpture of more than 6 meters of the singer Shakira will be unveiled in two months in Barranquilla as a tribute that this city will pay to the most important international artist born in this city of the Colombian Caribbean.
“We are going to recognize Shakira so that the people of Barranquilla feel proud of this reference of culture, but also so that visitors come to make a ‘pilgrimage’, take a photo, stay in a hotel and invest in our beautiful city”, announced the mayor of Barranquilla, Jaime Pumarejo.
Made of bronze and 6.20 meters high, product of the creativity of local artist Yino Márquez, the sculpture of the winner of 3 Anglo Grammy awards and 12 Latin Grammy awards, will be located in a representative place of the city chosen by the community in a consultation that the Mayor’s Office is carrying out.
Shakira’s success and dedication make her a symbol of her land
“Shakira will receive a statue in recognition for leaving her homeland uplifted, demonstrating that, in the most magical corner of Colombia, where the Magdalena River and the Caribbean Sea meet, there are dreamy, thriving people who want to get ahead.” Mayor Pumarejo noted when making the announcement.
Since 1997 Shakira, who is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, created the Pies Descalzos Foundation, a Colombian charitable organization to help vulnerable children and victims of the armed conflict in this South American country. Her focus is helping through education, which is why she has built 5 schools in Colombia.
Shakira, who is currently facing tax evasion proceedings before the Spanish tax authorities, moved to Miami after living in Barcelona for several years with her ex-partner, former international soccer player Gerard Piqué.
In addition to the Grammys, Shakira throughout her career has won 10 American Music Awards, 13 Billboard Awards, 4 HTV Awards, 23 Lo Nuestro Awards, among many other awards, as well as million-dollar sales for her albums and international tours.