DUBAI: Dubai police have launched a pan-Arab teenage cartoon character to help them in their fight against the growing problem of drug addiction. Named, Saeed Hemaya, police hope the cartoon character will take their anti-drugs message to teenagers across the Arab world.
Saeed is aged 14, said police, adding that this is the age that young people start dabbling in drugs in the region.
Announcing the birth of Saeed, Maj. Gen. Khamis Al-Mazeina said the growing number of drug addicts in the Arab world worries law enforcement officials. According Al-Mazeina, there are 10 million drug addicts in the region, a number that highlights the gravity of the problem and the need for programs to fight it.
He pointed out that the region is seeing a growing number of youngsters — including children as young as 14 — picking up the habit.
Saeed and his family are part of the Hemaya (protection) program — a joint program between Dubai police and the United Nations. Hemaya, which was launched earlier this year, runs several programs to fight drugs in the Arab world, including educating the masses about drug addiction and training Arab forces in combating narcotics.
Al-Mazeina said the Saeed campaign would be ready in three months and would consist of a cartoon series, a website, and a children’s magazine featuring Saeed, his sister Jamila, their grandfather Hamam, their falcon and their uncle Brig. Salem. He added that the cartoon episodes would be four minutes long, and would focus on different sets of values such as honesty and bravery.
He described Saeed, which means joy in Arabic, as a well-behaved teenager. “Saeed is a pan-Arab child and will appear wearing different Arab costumes reflecting different regions. He and his sister Jamila will initially be featured in six Arab countries: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt and Palestine. They will visit other Arab countries after that.”
