Colombian pop princess Shakira spoke of the importance of education before a group of 400 Oxford University students in England on Monday.
In true Colombian style the Barranquilla bombshell arrived 20 minutes late for her presentation to the Oxford debating society, resplendent in a coral pink dress and black cardigan.
The crowd’s disappointment that there would be “no hip shaking whatsoever,” was countered by the Unicef Goodwill Ambassador’s speech on the importance of education in the developing world.
Shakira said that change comes through the “democratisation of education” and she stressed the importance of universal access to learning.
She appealed to the students to use their intelligence for the greater good, saying, “from your minds, ideas will sprout that will change the world.”
Shakira expressed her delight at the opportunity to address the world-renowned debating club, like other celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Winston Churchill, Malcolm X and Diego Maradona.
On a personal note the curvaceous Colombiana spoke of looking forward to future artistic challenges as well as “maybe one day having babies of my own.”