Iftah Ya Simsim
Iftah Ya Simsim (; meaning "Open Sesame") is the first international co-production of the American children's television series "Sesame Street" created in the Arab world. It premiered in Kuwait on September 14, 1979 and was broadcast in 22 Arabic-speaking countries, running until April 6, 1990. The program continued to be well-known decades after it went off the air. In 1978, educators, mass media officers, and social planners agreed to adopt "Sesame Street" as a feasible and economical solution for the low attendance in preschools and illiteracy that plagued the region. They approached the Children's Television Workshop (CTW), the producers of the American show, and purchased the rights to create an Arab version for US$2.5 million.
Iftah Ya Simsim
After a 25-year hiatus the show was relaunched in September 2015 appearing on nine regional stations with Abu Dhabi Al Emarat TV and Sharjah TV among them but they only use Numberkids 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. At the time of the re-launch the show was expected to reach 45 million viewers. The production is a collaboration between the Abu Dhabi Education Council, twofour54, the Arab Bureau of Education for the Gulf States and Bedia Media. Along with live shows at schools, the show interacts with fans by means of Facebook, a YouTube channel, and Instagram accounts. The show announced its focus on regional traditions, culture, values, customs, and manners with the characters speaking in classical Arabic.