A large number of representatives from the ministries of education of ABEGS member states will attend the two-day event on the “Iftah Ya Simsim” project, sponsored by the GCC Joint Program Production Institution (GCC-JPPI) and SABIC.
Ali bin Abdalkhalq Al-Qarni, ABEGS director general, said Thursday in Riyadh that the “event would focus on the educational needs of the children in the Gulf states.”
The “Iftah Ya Simsim” program represents the Arab region’s first educational initiative that aims to achieve measurable educational benefits for children in the early years of school.
Experts from educational institutions in the region will team up to discuss and develop a general framework for the program, Al-Qarni explained.
The invitation to the seminar will be open to education specialists working in the fields of food, social health, child psychology, modern education, education for people with special needs and culture.
During the seminar, the project team will meet with academics, researchers and other experts involved in education, health and social programs for children.
The group will be joined by creative and cultural personalities who produce music, storybooks, and television programs for young children to discuss how the project can best convey culturally relevant messages.
Al-Qarni added that ABEGS was proud to work with Sesame Workshop, which has created some of the most unforgettable characters in the history of television.
He hoped the collaboration would help “to develop content that will inspire our children.”
Speaking on this occasion, Robert Knezevic, regional director for international partnerships for Sesame Workshop, said the “Iftah Ya Simsim” project was designed as an integrated initiative not only incorporating television, but also books, CDs, online materials as well as outreach programs for parents and teachers.
He said that SABIC had joined hands to promote this initiative. As a socially responsible company, SABIC is extremely delighted to be able to “partner with ABEGS and extend support” to help in raising scientific, moral and educational awareness among parents and children, said Mohammed Al-Mady, SABIC’s vice chairman and CEO.
Al-Mady said this year’s “Iftah ya Simsim” will highlight the importance of protecting the environment and will aim to educate children on green issues.
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