From the first day of Ramadan, the show will air daily on MBC3 from Sunday to Thursday at 1:30 PM KSA.
Ahlan Simsim, an Arabic children’s show from the creators of Iftah Ya Simsim and Sesame Street, will introduce a new character, Ameera, in the fifth season.
The fifth season will premier across the Middle East and North Africa on the first day of Ramadan 2022.
A witty, inquisitive eight-year-old girl with a passion for science and basketball, Ameera uses her bright purple wheelchair or forearm crutches to get around due to a spinal cord injury. She’s everyone’s favourite comedian, and her great sense of humour serves her well as a natural leader who encourages others with her bright personality. Sometimes, Ameera gets too wrapped up in her own ideas and forgets to notice everyone else’s, but she always remembers that play and learning are most fun when she includes her friends’ ideas too.
Ameera makes her debut in season five of Ahlan simsim, which will focus on the social-emotional skills of kindness towards oneself and others. She will join Ahlan Simsim’s friends like Basma, Jad and Ma’zooza as well as familiar favourites like Elmo, Gargur (Grover), and Kaki (Cookie Monster), as they navigate setbacks and learn about mutual respect and kindness through play.
Speaking about the new character, Scott Cameron, Head of International Production at Sesame Workshop, said: “Ameera continues Sesame Workshop’s long history of creating diverse characters that children around the world can relate to, and we are so excited to welcome this exuberant eight-year-old girl to our cast of beloved Sesame Muppets. Ameera was in development for over two years and was designed with the guidance of inclusion advisors who helped ensure that her identity, movements, and equipment were representational. An instant favourite with our writers for humour and wit, we know that Ameera will inspire young viewers to be curious and confident.”
Along with modelling the importance of children’s appreciation of self in addition to others, episodes will include new segments on literacy, DIY, and Muppets and kids.
Khaled Haddad, Executive Producer of Ahlan Simsim, added: “It has been a highlight and a source of immense pride for the entire team to watch Ameera come to life on the Ahlan Simsim set, expanding our cast of characters and complementing this season’s core theme of kindness towards oneself and others. Introducing a new character is always very exciting, but Ameera’s debut is especially meaningful as it strengthens representation and inclusion within the series and the wider Ahlan Simsim programme.”
Produced in Amman with Jordan Pioneers, Ahlan Simsim is brought to life by a team of writers, producers, and performers from across the Middle East and North Africa. The show joins a long line of Arabic-language educational programmes from Sesame Workshop.
Since its launch in February 2020, Ahlan Simsim has reached over 17m children across the Middle East and North Africa. The show received a 2021 International Emmy nomination for the episode Piece of The Past and won the 2022 Anthem Gold Award for Special Projects in Humanitarian Action & Services.
Ahlan Simsim is part of a broader humanitarian initiative of the same name, in a partnership between Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Aimed at delivering early learning and nurturing care to children and caregivers affected by conflict and crisis, Ahlan Simsim provides lessons and strategies that form a crucial developmental foundation for all young children, especially those who have suffered adverse experiences like trauma of displacement. Through the Ahlan Simsim show and direct services in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, the show is reaching families affected by conflict and displacement with vital educational resources that children need to thrive.
Starting the first day of Ramadan, season five of Ahlan Simsim will air daily on MBC3 from Sunday to Thursday at 1:30 pm KSA.
Ahlan Simsim episodes will also be available on a variety of regional and national TV stations, including Rotana Kids and Sat 7, Roya TV and Jordan TV in Jordan, Nour Sat in Lebanon, Al Sumaria and UTV in Iraq.
