Update - More Than 30 U.S. Cities and States Declare Aug. 14 as Dora the Explorer Day!

Cities from Austin to Boston and States from New York to New Mexico Join in the Celebration for Dora the Explorer's 10th Anniversary

News provided by

Nickelodeon

Aug 12, 2010, 08:23 ET

NEW YORK, Aug. 12 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of Nickelodeon's celebration of Dora the Explorer's 10th Anniversary, more than 30 cities and states across the United States are proclaiming Saturday, Aug. 14, as "Dora the Explorer Day." Citizens in these locales will be encouraged to embrace Dora's spirit of inclusion and cooperation, her love of exploration and learning and to join in celebrating one of the most influential Latina characters in the history of television.

The cities and states across the country that will acknowledge the positive impact of the spirited character include: Austin, Texas; Albany, N.Y.; Baltimore, Md.; Boston, Mass.; Columbia, S.C.; Corpus Christi, Texas; Downey, Calif.; El Paso, Texas, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; Galveston, Texas; Hialeah, Fla.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Jackson, Miss.; La Redo, Texas; Lansing, Mich.; Miami, Fla.; Milwaukee, Wis.; Montgomery, Ala.; New York, N.Y.; Orlando, Fla.; Patterson, N.J.; Sacramento, Calif.; Salinas, Calif.; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Diego, Calif.; Santa Ana, Calif.; Tampa, Fla.; Connecticut; Delaware; Louisiana; Maryland; Missouri; and New Mexico.

Nickelodeon kicked off the 10th anniversary of Dora the Explorer this year with a multi-platform pro-social campaign titled "Beyond the Backpack." Named for Dora's iconic backpack, "Beyond the Backpack" champions overall school readiness for preschoolers as they prepare for the important adventure of starting school. In support of "Beyond the Backpack," Salma Hayek Pinault, Shakira, Jessica Alba, Drew Brees and Slash along with other celebrities have designed specialty, Dora-inspired backpacks that will be auctioned off globally on CharityBuzz.com starting today through Sept. 2. The proceeds from each backpack's auction will benefit the Children's Defense Fund (CDF), one of "Beyond the Backpack's" Advisory Committee members, which will be funding school readiness programs.

In partnership with the CDF, National Parent Teacher Association and other experts and leaders in school readiness, "Beyond the Backpack" provides parents with tools and resources that can help kids prepare for a well-rounded, positive experience as they enter kindergarten. The components of "Beyond the Backpack," include dedicated PSAs; a web site (www.dora.beyondthebackpack.com) with customized resources and learning activities including a curriculum-focused checklist for parents to determine if their child is ready for kindergarten, links to partner organizations, financial resources and grants; fundraising activities; and community events.

On Sunday, Aug. 15, at 8:00 p.m. (ET/PT) Nickelodeon will premiere "Dora's Big Birthday Adventure," a brand-new, hour-long primetime TV movie that follows Dora and Boots on a whirlwind journey through Magic Storybook Land. The TV movie features guest stars Rosie Perez as La Bruja (the witch), John Leguizamo as the Flying Monkeys and Hector Elizondo as the Wishing Wizzle.

Following the TV movie, at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT), Nickelodeon will premiere the first-ever Dora 10th Anniversary documentary, a special 12-minute tribute executive-produced by Academy Award®- nominated Brett Morgen (The Kid Stays in the Picture) and directed by Debra Eisenstadt. The documentary explores the series' cultural and educational impact and features appearances by Dora and her friends, commentary from creators Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh Valdes and Eric Weiner, industry experts, real-life kids and celebrities including Anderson Cooper, Elisabeth Hasselbeck, Rosie Perez, Salma Hayek Pinault, Shakira, Soledad O'Brien, Sherri Shepherd and more.

Since launching in 2000, Nickelodeon's Dora the Explorer has emerged as a global phenomenon, currently seen in more than 151 territories around the world and translated into 30 languages. The series ranks among the top-rated shows on television. Dora is the first animated Latina character to be featured in a leading role, and the show has received numerous industry awards including the Peabody, NAACP, Alma, Latino Spirit, Gracie Allen, several Parents' Choice Awards, the Television Critics Association award and 16 Daytime Emmy nominations.

Nickelodeon, now in its 31st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books and feature films. Nickelodeon's U.S. television network is seen in more than 100 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for 16 consecutive years. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

SOURCE Nickelodeon