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A toon friend for Emirati children
posted on 28/06/2012: 725 views
Emirati youth will find a new champion of their country’s heritage and development in the cartoon character, Mansour, scheduled to appear on airwaves later this year, said show creator Rashed Al Harmoodi during the cartoon’s launch on June 26 at the Summer in Abu Dhabi festival.
“We want to make sure that our children play an essential role in developing the UAE,†he said, describing the inspiration behind the first Emirati production to utilise high quality, 3D animation techniques.
“If this is the best language that children understand, then let’s talk cartoon language and communicate. The five-year-olds of today are the future generation who will lead the UAE to the second stage of development, and we have to talk to them and tell them what’s important in a fun and indirect way,†he explained.
According to the cartoon developers, the Arabic-language show, also named Mansour, will address three core issues relating to the future of young Emiratis. Broadly, these include the UAE’s economic diversification away from oil and gas, the pursuit of a healthy lifestyle and the preservation of national heritage, culture and language.
The adventures of 10-year-old Emirati Mansour, an enthusiastic athlete who aspires to become an aerospace engineer, will be crafted to touch on these subjects in an entertaining and relatable way, said Al Harmoodi. He hopes the show’s target audience of five- to 12-year-olds will take away positive messages relating to education, health and family.
One storyline, for example, will follow Mansour’s efforts to get an overweight friend involved in sports after seeing his own, much loved grandfather struggling with diabetes. “We are trying to make Mansour a role model and a communication tool between us and the next generation,†emphasised Al Harboodi.
The cartoon show, spearheaded by Fanar Productions and supported by Mubadala Development Company, is slated to appear on local networks this September. To encourage young Emiratis and expats to enhance their Arabic skills, Mansour will not debut with English subtitles, though producers concede they may later be added as the show spreads beyond the UAE. â€" Khaleej Times
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