Among the shoe shines and magazine kiosks on the sidewalk along Cinco de Mayo Avenue in Mexico City last Saturday afternoon, two children played. A little boy of about four years old climbed on top of his older sister, who giggled and wrestled him away. Noticing a foreigner walk by, the children interrupted their game. The sister pushed her brother out in front of the foreigner, where he suddenly put on a mournful face and held out a tiny hand.

A few feet away, a young mother holding an infant in her lap held out her hand too.

The sight of mothers and children begging in the street is common across Latin America. So common as to seem almost natural, inevitable. Certainly, there's no need to raise awareness about the problem. It's in everyone's face, everyday.

But on this afternoon, where Cinco de Mayo turns into the Zocalo — the biggest plaza in the hemisphere — more than 250,000 people were gathering to entertain the idea that it's not inevitable for 32 million children to live in poverty. That, in fact, every child can be fed, clothed, housed, cared for, and schooled.

Well, really, most people came for a concert featuring 16 of the top pop acts in the Spanish-speaking world. But the message promoted by the concert organizers, ALAS (Latin America in Action and Solidarity or WINGs in English) was that childhood poverty across the hemisphere could be brought to an end in the next six years.

Unlike benefit concerts hosted by wealthy countries, such as Live Aid or Live 8, the ALAS concerts in Buenos Aires and Mexico City last Saturday did not call for any donations from the public. There was no admission fee for the concert, no drop boxes for food or clothes, no telephone hotlines or Internet addresses to make pledges (well, you can donate or volunteer here, dear reader — they just weren't making a big deal about it at the concert).

Instead, at a press conference a few days before, ALAS announced that Carlos Slim Helu — the richest man in Mexico and one of the richest in the world — had contributed $110 million to the cause. As a photo in the Mexican newspaper revealed, he received not only good will, but a kiss on the cheek from hot, Colombian rocker Shakira as well. Kicking in another $85 mil (although maybe not getting kissed) was Howard Buffett, son of billionaire Warren Buffett (whose largess has been destined largely for causes in Africa). Other wealthy folks ponied up a few more millions, bringing the total to more than $300 million.

So the concert was meant to shine a spotlight on their generosity? Or meant to pressure other wealthy folk to give too? Or maybe to put pressure on the various Latin American governments to take up the cause as well?

Standing among the 250,000 people in the audience on a rainy evening, it was hard to tell. Between acts, MTV-style videos played, highlighting the plight of children with hip speak and hip graphics. More important, the videos suggested, we can end that plight: "We can accomplish in six years, what could not be done in 100." Ricky Martin, as always, the most engaging showman on the bill, announced, "I'm happy because I feel like I'm part of a historic movement."

Maybe. But it's a strange movement, too. As Ricky explained:

<blockquote>We, the artists, have done our part. Now it's time for the governments to join us. Let's give a big hand of applause for the governments of Latin America, because I know they're watching, so that they will say, "Count me in."</blockquote>

So, forget about a violent revolution, where the poor overthrow the rich. And we're not really talking about voting out governments that don't respond to the people's demands. Instead, Ricky and Shakira, and a whole host of other stars, will cajole the powerful into doing right by kids. And the public will be there, by the hundreds of thousands, by the millions, to witness it all.