The world’s leading thinkers and politicians have tried to bring peace to the Middle East for years, but the region continues to devolve into bloody chaos.
So it can’t hurt to bring in yet another peacemaking team, even if they are prone to squeaking, have brightly-colored fur and are no taller than a toddler.
Can Ernie and Bert use their cohabitation skills to pacify Hamas? Will Oscar devour Ariel Sharon or vice versa?
Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization that produces the popular TV series Sesame Street, has launched a new series that aims to foster peace in the Middle East through the region’s children.
Sesame Stories will be aired on Palestinian TV as well as in Jordan and Israel. Hikayat Simsim (Jordan, Palestinian territories), and Sippuray Sumsum (Israel) were individually conceived, written and realized by local educators and media professionals for local children aged 4 to 7 years old.
The series will foster pride in the child’s home culture and draw similarities to their neighbors’ cultures, according to a statement from Sesame Workshop.
The European Union is footing the bulk of the $8 million bill with other private and governmental organizations contributing the remainder of the budget.