Iftah Ya Simsim
The show focused on Arab heritage, like the wedding rituals of countries in the region, and included Arab poems and songs. "Iftah Ya Simsim" premiered in Kuwait in September 1979, and was broadcast in all Arabic-speaking countries excluding Egypt. The show's opening consisted of a catchy tune that became beloved of its young viewers. As the song played, the opening footage showed children across the Arab world running past familiar landmarks like the Pyramids and playing in playgrounds and ancient alleyways before running into a white fort that had its gates open wide. The show's set consisted of an intricately traditional Arabian neighborhood called "Sharee Eshreen" (20th Street).
Ishim, Tyumen Oblast
It was founded in 1670 as the village of Korkina Sloboda. In 1721, by the order of Tsar Peter the Great the village gained the right to establish Nikolskaya Trade Fair which rapidly became one of the most important trade fairs in Siberia. This trade fair took place twice a year on the Saint Nicholas day until 1919. In 1782, by the order of Empress Catherine the Great, Korkina Sloboda was renamed Ishim and was granted town status. In 1918, Ishim became the administrative center of Ishimsky Uyezd. In 1984, the city began a sister city relationship with Grand Forks, North Dakota in the United States. This relationship terminated in the late 1990s due to economic turmoil in Ishim.