At San Salvador's Sports Palace, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and singer-songwriter Shakira greeted thousands of Salvadoran students who took part in a march against violence on Sunday.

"I am very glad to see you all gathered here, knowing that many of you, walking on the streets of your city since early morning, are already taking the first steps towards a better future for El Salvador," she said.

Earlier in the day, more than 8,000 children and adolescents – including 6,000 students and 2,300 scouts – marched in the streets of El Salvador's capital city as part of a UNICEF campaign to protect children from violence.

Regional activities

The march took place in the wake of the UN Secretary-General's Study on Violence Against Children, which was released internationally in October and is now being launched regionally in Latin America and the Caribbean.

According to the study, El Salvador currently ranks among the countries with the highest levels of social violence in the world.

Rallying under the slogan 'Make the Difference by Not Being Indifferent', the young anti-violence campaigners at the Sports Palace kicked off a series of regional activities designed to promote peace. Shakira, a Latin Grammy Award winner who grew up in Colombia, told them she had a unique understanding of the plight of young people in poor nations.

"I come from a difficult country and thus know and understand what happens to Salvadoran youth," she said, "because I know what it's like to grow up in a country where many believe there is no better future and choose unlawfulness and violence, feeling it is the only way."

Role of education

Shakira, who was appointed as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 2003, also emphasized the important role of education in fighting violence and poverty.

"Violence is one of the principal reasons why children don't go to school. It's also one of the causes of the alarming school dropout rates," she said.

The pop star ended the day's events on a hopeful note. "We only have one life to live," Shakira told her youthful audience. "Let's live it with dignity, and I invite you, starting today, to make a difference."

Source: UNICEF

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