Disneynature hosted the world premiere of Chimpanzee at the AMC Downtown Disney Friday as part of the two-day Disney Kids and Nature Celebration to recognize, reward, and inspire conservation leadership among children. The company brought several of its hottest Disney Channel stars into town for the weekend, including Debby Ryan from the show Jessie, and Bella Thorne and Zendaya from Shake It Up.
The actors walked the red carpet along with Disney chairman and C.E.O. Robert Iger and consultant Jane Goodall, who carried a stuffed animal chimpanzee in her arms. Joining them were the movie’s producers and directors and more than 100 children from around the world whom Disney recognized for their work to protect the planet and help their communities.
The weekend’s festivities began Friday morning at Animal Kingdom Theme Park, where the company hosted an award ceremony to announce grants to five nonprofits that connect children and nature. The program continued Saturday with an event at Epcot to honor elementary and middle schools participating in Disney’s Planet Challenge, followed by the Disney Friends for Change Youth Summit, a day-long program with children that included hands-on activities and panel discussions.
