Iftah Ya Simsim, a children's program that educated and entertained children in the Arab world 20 years ago, will be used to develop multimedia learning materials. The Statement of Educational Objectives was announced Saturday in the presence of Prince Faisal Bin Abdullah, Minister of Education, by the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States (ABEGS) during the organization's presentation of awards for achievements in educational research and programs. Iftah Ya Simsim's education plan comes after two years of preparation. A seminar was held in Riyadh in June, 2011 in which over 80 distinguished experts from the GCC took part. “We recognize media's potential as an educational tool,” said Dr. Ali Al-Karni, Director General of ABEGS. “Particularly as new technologies are attracting children's attention.” “ABEGS is coordinating with all Gulf states to find innovative ways to equip our children with skills and knowledge to lead healthy and productive lives based on sound educational, social, Arabic and Islamic values. Iftah Ya Simsim is one of our proud traditions celebrating our respect for education and our love for children,” he said. “We are grateful to ABEGS' leadership,” said Robert Knezevic, Vice President of Sesame Street International. Sesame Workshop is a global education company that specializes in such initiatives. “We are happy to lend our support and expertise to help re-launch Iftah Ya Simsim for the next generation of young Arab citizens,” Knezevic added. The second phase of the Iftah Ya Simsim education plan is the production of educational materials in a variety of media formats – television, digital, print, and live shows. Over the next 18 months, Sesame Workshop will help establish a joint-venture company in the region to attract the best local talent to produce the new Iftah Ya Simsim series. The television programs will be based on the educational principals set forth in the Statement of Educational Objectives. Iftah Ya Simsim TV episodes are expected to begin broadcast in early 2014. “The strategy is to establish partnerships with public and private institutions from across the region who have a passion for children and understand the importance of education,” said Knezevic. “Introducing educational and learning programs like Iftah Ya Simsim that provide a wide array of educational goals and learning opportunities in a multitude of formats is a strategy that ABEGS endorses,” concluded Dr. Al
