Since its debut in 1969, Sesame Street has encouraged and yet inspired millions of children around the world to read and count. More importantly, it has also encouraged them to share, ask questions and appreciate differences. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, is committed to the principle that all children deserve a chance to learn and grow, to be prepared for school, to better understand the world and each other, and to think, dream and discover.
In an interview with Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of Sesame Workshop, he said that the organization is working closely with various education ministries throughout the Arab world and with the private sector to reintroduce Iftah Ya Simsim (the Arabic version of Sesame Street) and explore the potential of utilizing modern media to reach out to families in remote villages to deliver engaging educational content.
He said that the organization “stays committed to its mission of creating innovative shows whose contents would maximize the educational power of all the media to help children reach their highest potential.”
Following are the excerpts in the interview with him:
Why did Iftah Ya Simsim stop?
The program stopped production after the Gulf War, but we are as committed as ever to do more in the Arab region. We have established a strong partnership in Egypt with Al-Karma Edutainment for Sesame programming in the Arab region. They have produced about 400 half-hour episodes featuring Muppet characters, live action film, and animation segments. We also have production partners in Jordan and Palestine. We’re currently working on a plan for a regional program produced in classical Arabic. We want to produce a series that combines the locally produced Arab content with library materials, which together would become the new Iftah Ya Simsim.
What did you find in your visit to Saudi Arabia?
We found huge interest in promoting education in the country, including basic literacy and numeracy, as well as exposing young children to science, astronomy, health education and the environment, and also encouraging regional pride.
In how many countries are you producing the world-famous Sesame Street show?
We currently produce 22 local versions of Sesame Street with local partners.
What did you find during your visit to Saudi Arabia? What’s the perception about the old Iftah Ya Simsim?
Surprisingly, Iftah Ya Simsim is still being sold in VHS format in Riyadh, which indicates that brand recognition remains. What we want to do is target a new generation of children whose parents grew up with the original series and can still identify with its educational and entertainment value.
How can children and educators benefit from the new show?
Today, there are many ways to enjoy Sesame Street. In addition to the television series, there are theme parks, DVDs, online, movies, books, product licensing, outreach materials, and finally training programs for parents and educators on how to get the most out of Sesame Street.
How does your training program for parents work?
This training program is designed to reach parents in remote areas, who may not have the resources to extend the lessons from the TV series. We train them in utilizing the beloved characters to help tell stories, teach nutrition, health and road safety, among others, to children.
Have you thought of having a Sesame Street channel?
Our goal right now is to secure a presence of an Arabic language Sesame programming on one of the satellite channels. We’re also exploring ways to use the Internet to bring educational content to children in the region at their own convenience. We’re looking for a like-minded partner committed to investing in the educational future of the children. Of course, we highly encourage private sector investment as well through sponsorship and product licensing.
How do you evaluate your success in the region?
Because of the strong partnership between the public and private sectors, we have been fortunate enough to see 10 years of success in Egypt. We strive to work with local government agencies to get their support in reaching children in schools. Local broadcasters play a key role in making the educational content available to the remote areas of each country. The private sector’s involvement is vital for funding. It’s a truly collaborative effort, but when all areas work, the show is a success.
