Instruct: Given a question, retrieve passages that answer the question.
Query: When was Iftah Ya Simsim born?
Iftah Ya Simsim (Arabic: افتح يا سمسم‎; meaning "Open Sesame") is the first international co-production of the American children's television series Sesame Street created in the Arab world. It premiered in Kuwait on September 14, 1979 and was broadcast in 22 Arabic-speaking countries, running until April 6, 1990. The program continued to be well-known decades after it went off the air. In 1978, educators, mass media officers, and social planners agreed to adopt Sesame Street as a feasible and economical solution for the low attendance in preschools and illiteracy that plagued the region. They approached the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), the producers of the American show, and purchased the rights to create an Arab version for US$2.5 million.
Iftah Ya Simsim emphasized scientific thinking and the effects of technology on society. It sought to provide children with experiences that enriched their knowledge about their environment and improved their reasoning, through teaching them mathematical and geometric concepts. The show introduced its viewers to Arab history by citing important events, such as showing castles that were the center of historic battles.[22] Geography was highlighted, especially the location of countries and their cities and capitals, which had the secondary effect of helping children increase their feelings of belonging and feeling proud of their Arab heritage. Children's social awareness, especially their comprehension of social roles and their functions, was also emphasized.[23]
In 2017, the show launched a special, 12-minute version of the show for the month of Ramadan. Thirty episodes were produced and regularly feature Super Grover 2.0, Elmo's Game Show, Cookie's Crumby Pictures, and segments from the Dream, Save, Do campaign, as well as interviews with children.
Ammar is a professional puppeteer, puppet builder, creative content developer and voice actor from Saudi Arabia. He is the creative content manager and the master puppeteer at Bidaya Media Company, the producers of Iftah Ya Simsim, and is the muppet performer of Ka’aki (Cookie Monster) and Gargour (Grover). He also voices a variety of muppet characters that includes Badr (Bert), Addad (Count Von Count) and one half of the Two Headed Monster. Ammar is the founder of 31 Workshop, and is also a designer, creative consultant and lecturer. Previously, Ammar specialized in design solutions both locally and internationally since 2001 across urban, architecture and graphic design. Because of his childhood passion for the world of puppetry, Ammar has worked on designing, building and operating multiple puppet characters, which are used today through 31 Workshop in the production of live performances and media segments. He was also mentored by Muppet performer Marty Robinson and trained under several professional muppet performers like Matt Vogel, Peter Linz and Michael Earl.
The show focused on Arab heritage, like the wedding rituals of countries in the region, and included Arab poems and songs.[17] Iftah Ya Simsim premiered in Kuwait in September 1979, and was broadcast in all Arabic-speaking countries excluding Egypt.[26] The show's opening consisted of a catchy tune that became beloved of its young viewers. As the song played, the opening footage showed children across the Arab world running past familiar landmarks like the Pyramids and playing in playgrounds and ancient alleyways before running into a white fort that had its gates open wide. The show's set consisted of an intricately traditional Arabian neighborhood called Sharee Eshreen (20th Street).[17]
Abdullah is one of the main human characters on Iftah Ya Simsim, playing the role of Rashid as well as the puppeteering of Elmo. He started acting in 2013, playing the role of Fares in the short series "Mawta Yamshoun Baynana.” Along with his work on Iftah Ya Simsim, he is set to be an official voice actor for an upcoming Arabic Anime series. Abdullah is very passionate about animation and aims to be a pioneer in the industry. In his free time, he enjoys reading and singing. He is also very active on social media.
Al-Khayr, Misbah; Hashim Al-Samira'i (1995). "Iftah Ya Simsim (Open Sesame) and Children in Baghdad". Translated by Ahmed Sweity. In Elizabeth Warnock Fernea (ed.). Children in the Muslim Middle East. Austin, Texas: University of Texas Press, pp.464–468. ISBN0-292-71133-6 Al-Khulaifi, Ibrahim Mohammed (1984). . Ohio State University. Retrieved 2 July 2014. Cole, Charlotte F.; Beth A. Richman and Susan A. McCann Brown (2001). "The World of Sesame Street Research". In Shalom M. Fisch and Rosemarie T. Truglio (eds.). "G" is for Growing: Thirty Years of Research on Children and Sesame Street. Mahweh, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers. ISBN0-8058-3395-1. Davis, Michael (2008). Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street. New York: Viking Press. ISBN978-0-670-01996-0. Gikow, Louise A. (2009). Sesame Street: A Celebration—Forty Years of Life on the Street. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal. ISBN978-1-57912-638-4. Hammoud, Hassan R. (2005). Literacy for Life. Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2006 (UNESCO). Retrieved 2 July 2014.
According to researcher Ibrahim Al-Khulaifi, "In a few months, Iftah Ya Simsim became one of the most popular and successful programs for children in many Arab states".[29] Critics called it "one of the most successful pan-Arab collaborations of educators, creators, writers and artists from the Middle East".[1] The show continued to trigger nostalgia in its fans, some of whom watched its reruns well into the 1990s. Rym Ghazal of The National asserts that other co-productions made in the region could not compare to Iftah Ya Simsim, which used actors and children from the region, known as Khaleeji, in their roles. Ghazal also stated, "No Arabic children's television show was as popular and influential in the Middle East in the 1980s as Iftah Ya Sim Sim... That's because it offered an alternative way of learning that hardly existed in the Arab world at the time, just as Sesame Street had previously done in the West".[1]
The producers wanted to present the characteristics of the Arabic language and its alphabet.[20] Because pre-production research showed that, although many dialects are spoken in the region, 90% of Arab children were able to understand Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), it was chosen as the show's language.[26] Linguist Kees Versteegh stated that the language used in Iftah Ya Simsim was "based on an explicit didactic and linguistic concept".[27] The show's developers decided to use specific aspects of the language. Despite the absence of case endings in the dialects spoken by many of its users, the producers used them and other indispensable features of MSA. They also spelled out what features should be used sparingly, like passive verb forms, and what features they wanted to completely avoid, such as some prepositions. According to Versteegh, "These principles have been followed rather closely".[27] Children who appeared on the show made few grammatical errors in MSA, and although colloquialisms were used rarely, there was an informal quality in their conversations and speech patterns. Versteegh postulated that it was due to the use of intonation patterns and interjections, instead of the use of grammatical and lexical items from the vernacular use of the language. He also said that Iftah Ya Simsim proved that it was "possible to use an informal register of Modern Standard Arabic".[27] Versteegh reported that although the show was criticized in some Arab countries, Egypt in particular, for containing too many colloquialisms, he thought the criticism was biased and that "the selection of lexical items in any pan-Arabic programme will probably never satisfy everybody".[27]
Playing the role of multiple Muppets, Michel started working in 2003 after finishing his studies in dubbing with a focus on scientific documentary films, animation, corporate videos & TV commercials. Michel then worked with two radio stations in Syria as a host and a freelance voiceover artist. Michel has attended many workshops about children’s television programs throughout his career and currently hosts a TV Show for children.
It was also announced that the much loved character No'man the camel and the bird muppet Melsoon were returning to the new run. They were to be joined by new muppets that would "include Shams, a quick witted 6 year old girl who is full of energy and loves to express herself, as well as cute Gargour, a special resident on Iftah Ya Simsim who provides his trademark zaniness, comic chaos and a unique perspective on the world." It was announced that season one Muppet performers included six puppeteers: Abdullah Kassem, Asma Alshamsi, Natheer Khawaldeh, Maher Mozawak, Noura Sadaka, and Michel Jabali. Also announced were actors appearing on the show with the muppets; Abdulla Rafa (in the role of Rashid) and Fatma Al Taei (as Amal). The educational content of the show is directed by the Educational Advisory Committee and the representatives of the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS).
In 1976, the Arab fund for Social and Economic Development held a series of workshops and seminars, attended by educators, mass media officers, and social planners, about preschool education in the region. The participants agreed to adopt Sesame Street as a feasible and economical solution for the low attendance in preschools and illiteracy[16] and, with funding from the Arab Gulf States Joint Program Production Institution, movement was made to create a co-production for the children of Kuwait and for the Arab world. This program, called Iftah Ya Simsim ("Open Sesame") premiered in Kuwait in 1979 and ran until 1990, when the Gulf War stopped production.[17] It was broadcast in 22 Arab countries, and continued to be well-known decades after it went off the air.[18] In June 2010, the Sesame Workshop and the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS), a regional Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) organization dedicated to education, research, and development, agreed to bring back the show.[19]
The present show is a collaboration between the Abu Dhabi Education Council, Twofour54, Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States and Bidaya Media.[3]
Misbah Al-Khayr and Hashim Al-Samira'i, in an article from the 1995 book Children in the Muslim Middle East, reported on a study that sought to evaluate the influence of Iftah Ya Simsim on its Baghdad viewers' knowledge about language, general information, mathematics, science, and moral principles. The study found that 85% of all children residing in Baghdad had watched it and that they interacted with and were attached to many of its characters, who exposed viewers to the accents of the region. The most popular segments were those that contained cartoons, songs, and puppets. The show's viewers demonstrated an increase in their understanding and knowledge in all areas, especially information about their social and natural environment.[1][32]
The cast of Muppet performers included a variety of Arab performers who were trained and chosen by Sesame Street to play the shows loveable characters:
In late 2013, fifteen writers and producers from Bidaya Media attended training about its education methodology and production techniques from the staff of the American show in New York.[37] The Saudi Gazette reported that Iftah Ya Simsim was in pre-production in March 2014, and that the first phase of auditions took place in April 2014,[38] after, according to Al-Sharhan, a year of designing the show, "with input from child development experts, educators and cultural consultants".[37] A casting call for a competitive search of performers specializing in puppeteering, voice, singing, and movement was sent to universities, theaters, and cultural centers in Abu Dhabi, where it was filmed, and through social media.[38][39] They cast Arabic-speaking performers, although no prior acting experience was required.[37] Dina al Saleh, a puppeteer from Alam Simsim, the Egyptian co-production, screened the first group of candidates,[39] and then the final cast of seven puppeteers were chosen after ten days of workshops, which the Saudi Gazette called ""master level training"[37] with Marty Robinson and other Sesame Workshop puppeteers from New York.[39] According to an editorial in The National, the new version of the show was significant because it encouraged Emiratis and other Arabs to become more involved in filmmaking and, more importantly, it focused on "locally relevant Arabic-language content that will seek to educate present and future generations".[1]
Maher showcased his vocal talent from an early age, imitating celebrities and people around him. An actor with a passion for the theatre, he has starred in more than 30 international stage plays, with an extensive portion of his work dedicated to children and their development. Maher also wrote most of the songs performed in these plays. Maher has also starred in a number of TV series across the region.
New Muppets were created, inspired by cultural traditions in the Arab world, from the shadow puppets of Syria to the puppets of Egypt, some of the oldest puppets in the world.[26] Characters from the American show, like the Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, Grover, and Kermit, were transposed into Arabic versions: Kaaki, Bader and Anees, Gharghour, and Kamil. The show's version of the Count kept his distinctive laugh and accent when speaking MSA.
New characters were created, including a camel named Nu'man (نُعمان) drawn from Arabic history and tradition,[28] the green and yellow parrot Malsoon (َْمَلْسون), a lavender-colored monster with a long nose named Yagut, and a large purple ribbon-wearing cat called Abla.
Iftah Ya Simsim was the first children's educational TV program of its kind in the Arab world and the first Sesame Street co-production in the region. It was the first co-production to use Modern Standard Arabic (MSA).[18] Its development was similar to that of the American version of Sesame Street in the late 1960s. The GCC considered creating a co-production for many years, so consultations were held among its member countries regarding how to do so.[20] Many of the early co-productions were simple, dubbed versions with local language voice-overs and instructional cutaways, but the GCC wanted to create their own original version.[17]
They established the Joint Program Production Institute (JPPI) to work with the CTW to create a Sesame Street co-production in addition to creating several children's TV shows. The JPPI formed a team, which visited the CTW in New York to negotiate the production of 130 30-minute programs,[20] purchasing the rights to create an Arab version for US$2.5 million, and bringing in experts from throughout the Arab world "to introduce an all encompassing Arabic curriculum that would teach and cultivate Arab values and culture".[17]
Sabra was born to a Christian family in the city of Qatana in Rif Dimashq Governorate on 11 July 1947. He graduated with a geography degree from Damascus University in 1971 and a degree in educational technology systems from Indiana University in 1978. He since became a geography teacher, as well as a screenwriter. He is one of the writers for the Arabic version, "Iftah Ya Simsim", of the children's show "Sesame Street".
Unlike the American show, Iftah Ya Simsim covered the topic of spirituality because of the importance of religion in Arab culture,[24] so the producers' goals included teaching children about Islamic principles, positive social behavior, personal manners, and the importance of traits like honesty, respect for parents, loyalty, and social interaction.[20] According to researchers Misbah Al-Khayr and Hashim Al-Samira'i, the program reinforced "the values and ethics that are derived from the teaching of orthodox Islam... to help children develop a sound moral vision on the basis of which they will build their family relationships, and which will reinforce the values of cooperation, love, and justice".[25]
On February 2017 Bidaya Media started production on season two of the relaunch of Iftah Ya Simsim, Noura Sadaka and Natheer Khawaldeh didn't come back for the new season. In addition, two new Muppets were introduced to the cast, Ka'aki (Cookie Monster) and Elmo. Puppeteer and Voice actor Ammar Sabban was hired to replace Natheer Khawaldeh as Gargour and was also chosen to play Ka'aki, Abdullah Rafa also joined the puppeteer team to play Elmo.[41]
Iftah Ya Simsim inspired "a flood of studies",[26] from scientific research to doctoral or masters theses submitted to Arab, European, and American universities. No studies were conducted during the show's first five years, largely due to lack of government cooperation and unsuccessful attempts marred by subjects dropping out of the studies.[30] In 1981, however, the JPPI invited children from Arab countries to Kuwait to access how they assimilated the program. Their attitudes about the show were assessed by education, social, and media specialists, who found that most viewers had benefited from watching it. Parents reported that their children's language use and ability improved, and the JPPI received many letters of appreciation and was commended for their efforts in producing the show.[26] In 1984, in one of the first studies conducted researching the show's effects on its young viewers, Ibrahim Al-Khulaifi compared the relationship between the viewing behavior by the Kuwaiti preschooler of Iftah Ya Simsim and certain developmental and environmental variables. He found that variables such as socioeconomic status, parental education (especially that of the mother), sex, age, year in school, birth order, and family attitudes about the show influenced the frequency of viewing.[31]