TIJUANA – Shakira is to perform for the first time in Baja California this summer, it was announced on Friday.

The Colombian superstar will bring her "Sale El Sol Tour 2011" to Estadio Caliente in Tijuana on July 30. An international philanthropist, the concert is to benefit the organization Fundación por Ayudar, according to the Facebook site for Grupo Caliente, which owns the stadium.

She's to perform on July 31 in Mexicali in the Fex Centro de Espectáculo, said Gaby Gómez, the show's logistical coordinator there.

The price of tickets has not been released but will be available through Ticketmaster and at other locations, Gómez said.

Shakira last visited the San Diego region in October 2010 as part of the "Sale el Sol" worldwide tour. She's currently in Europe, where she's scheduled to perform Sunday in St. Petersburg.

An icon in Latin America, the singer's popularity is growing in Europe, Asia and Africa. The multiplatinum singer has won multiple Grammy, MTV and Billboard awards. Most recently she was honored by the Harvard Foundation as the Artist of the Year for her work in philanthropy. Her foundation, Pies Descalzos (Barefoot Foundation), raises funds to help street children obtain an education.

Andrea.garcia@sandiegored.com