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Ailyn Agonia
Doha
HUNDREDS of people gathered at Education City's Ceremonial Court on Saturday to watch the special outdoor screening of Qatar Foundation's (QF) new 3D edutainment children's TV series Siraj.
HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al Thani, CEO and Vice-Chairperson of QF, attended the screening of the first episode of the animated series produced by Lammtra Art Production.
The massive scale of the screening of the first episode of Siraj matched a big film premiere for the high turnout of visitors, the excitement in the audience as well as colourful makeshift seats and food stalls.
"Preserving the Arabic language requires us to work together, encourage our children to learn our language and uphold our culture. Siraj touches on innovation through the use of modern technological tools such as a fun and interactive app, allowing our children to develop their skills in classical Arabic anytime, anywhere. As a multifunctional educational tool, Siraj also helps parents and teachers provide exciting and interactive content that encourages creativity in children," the QF official commented on the occasion.
The film caters to children aged two to eight and is aimed at inspiring love of the Arabic language from an early age through the adventures of the characters Rashid, his older sister Noura, and their friends.
Each episode is dedicated to one letter of the Arabic alphabet. The episodes were co-written and reviewed by Arabic language specialists from Qatar. Specialists on Qatari heritage and folklore were brought on board to ensure cultural accuracy and precision while the adventures of the characters are set in a distinctive Qatari environment inspired by real Qatari places.
Siraj was launched on a dedicated YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/sirajshow, and will be available to children in Qatar and around the world. In total, there will be 30 episodes to be aired weekly. The series will be aired on several TV channels which will be announced soon.
An educational Siraj app can also be downloaded from the online Apple store. A digital music album will be available from iTunes featuring the educational songs from the show.
Lammtra Art Production is owned by Mohammed Saeed Harib who is the creator of the acclaimed UAE show 'Freej'.
