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.
King Biba
Edward Yousif (1945 – November 27, 1995), mostly known by his stage name as King Biba, was an Assyrian singer and entertainer renowned for his vibrant voice and theatrical stage presence. His career spanned 30 years, starting from the early 1960s – making him one of the first prominent Assyrian singers to produce records and sing onstage, alongside Evin Agassi – up until the late 1980s. He innovated a new style of Assyrian music, which was a blend of keyboard instruments, guitars and drums.