'Impact Rooted In Values' animation teaching children UAE's values (09/09/26)

0:00This is post-95. You're listening to the Morning Majelis podcast. It's the Morning Majelis. It's the Morning Majelis and we're all concerned and worried about our children's screen time and people always worry, I wonder, that if they're watching any of the cartoons and any of the content, are they learning something useful, valuable and meaningful? That is the big question and to address that concern. We've got the Charger Family and Community Council's Media Office and we're very kindly joined by their Deputy Director Mirah Alhamadi. Thank you very much for joining us and a very good morning to you. Very good morning to you all and thank you very much for having me in this metalyst. We're looking forward to this conversation and one of the reasons why we've got this conversation is because recently, in fact this on Monday, the very first episode of their content called Routed in Values is as being was published

1:00and we've got the first episode out. I was fortunate enough to catch the episode. It was one minute long and I'd like to know a little bit more about the reception that you've seen so far and what's been the big message behind it? Well, it's been very exciting two days since the launch of this initiative. We've been noticing engagement on social media and on our content that we are producing and actually publishing. Not only through our channels but also through the channels of our partners. As you might know, your respected authorities part of the initiative support as a media support and the content is being used as a filler in charge of TV and charger radio. And the engagement was amazing. We are very eager to see the results.

2:02Of course, the data is not yet ready. We will have more specific data that can measure the impact of this initiative but the beginning is really promising actually. And Miro, what made you feel that now was the right time to launch such an animated series like this? And what kind of impact would you like to see it have on families and children like? Well, coming to the interview, I heard you before talking about the schools in charge and incorporating AI and the education system. So if that confirms anything, it only confirms the importance of using this media and the educational journey of a child. And this is exactly what we are focusing on. We want to use those tools effectively to instill those values that we have been raised on in the children throughout the media tools that they are using.

3:08And we want to use every child to have a screen now and using that tool to produce the content that is meaningful to them and going to build their personality based on our value. This was the mission that we wanted to take it further. And those values I have to highlight were not just chosen because they are like the logic reasons to choose them. These were selected actually from the talks that we hear from Her Highness Sheikh Haja'a, Herbid Muhammad al-Kasimhi, chairperson of Sharja family and community council. During her meeting with young children and the youth, she highlighted several values that she really wanted them to be rooted in all of people who are representing Sharja. And that's why we came with those four key values to run throughout until the end of the year, starting now with the value of honesty.

4:16And the next month we will launch the content that is related to gratefulness. And in November, it's going to be highlighting giving. And the last one that we will wrap the year with, and this is only the phase one of the whole initiative, it's going to be about safeguarding identity through Arabic language. I think it's incredible how we're able to connect those values which are so deep rooted here in not only Sharja but the United Arab Emirates. We have them connect to the children of today through animation. Children love animation, so it's so important to have that message portrayed through something that they love. And also, I want to know a motivation of yours in terms of, in today's world, there's a lot of distractions out there. Kids are growing up with YouTube, with TikTok, Instagram and all the social media bubble that parents might see as a distraction.

5:16The reassurance that we're giving them here is that your kids can be left and can be entertained by this animation, but still constructive and productive all for the values of the UAE. Absolutely. Parents are always partners in every initiative and every program that any of the organizations under SFCC launches. Specifically, this one, aside from the role of the families, our partners, the educational partners will also have a big role in running and making sure that those values are instilled in our children. We are partnered by Sharja Education Academy, represented by their affiliated Sharja Nurseries, and also Sharja Children, which is an affiliate of Rubakan for creating young children. And also, we are also partners with the young innovators and leaders. Those episodes will be shown to their students, and not only, it won't only be like showing them, and that's it.

6:24There's going to be a reflection on them. Small workshops will be conducted based on the value that they have learned for this month. And we are really a huge part of the energy and the energy that they have. And we are really appreciative of the support we have. Definitely, this is going to be, by default, it will involve the families as well to know that there is a content that is safe for their children, and that represents the UAE and the Sharja identity of a human. I've got a three-year-old, and I know that she spends a long time watching puppies rescuing other animals and other things going on, and various content out there, and they love their longer form of videos, even watching videos of a child playing with their own toys. And that's what surprises me, thinking, how is that interesting? I'd like to know a little bit about the duration. It's very tactical, just a minute long. What was the main purpose of it? Do you think a one-minute long content is addressing your ambition and goals?

7:32This was actually a decision taken for technicality, because of the thing related to the attention span that was addressed everywhere, actually. Another thing is, as a content, shorts were working much better than the long videos. So this actually gives us an opportunity to reach wider audience, and children, instead of doomscrolling for any content that can come across them. There's going to be a content that is targeting them, that is educating them for these specific values, and it's going to be short, very friendly to their knowledge and comprehension. We have two very lovely characters, one that is representing the curiousness in a child, who makes the trials and errors. And the other one is the one who loves to learn and loves to pass that knowledge to other kids.

8:39So we wanted to instill those two characteristics that we usually see in children, and have them feel related to that kind of environment. So that when they grow up, they would be in that experience, they would experience this kind of situation where they need to make a decision whether they do this thing or not. And then they would remember, probably unconsciously, that I have to make this decision that is related to my value. Let's dig deeper a little bit into the characters you mentioned. To be specific, I believe they're named the Maria Madame Hammett. Maria Madame Hammett, yes. Maria Madame Hammett, the two characters you were just mentioning. But can we dig a little bit deeper, maybe like a spoil alert? Talk about the actual stories that you're trying to highlight. So the stories can you just dig deeper into them, and what are the values that you're trying to instill within or throughout, or through those stories? Well, the environment... What are one of their stories of the characters?

9:41Actually, creating the characters themselves, as I said, it was to represent the main... Let's say... The characteristics that we see in children in a boy and a girl, so that the children can be related to those children. The environment that we have chosen, it's also related to them. The first episode was in an nursery, or an education setting, so that when they see it, they would be in their shoes, we might say. The stories that will go on to represent each value will definitely reflect the identity, the environment that they will be in. Building those characters with that type of storytelling makes it even more relatable to children, and that makes a child connected to a certain character.

10:42It's not just the visuals, not just the way they look and what they are dressed. It's how familiar what they do related to what they do as a children. I can imagine a lot of parents out there are probably thinking, well, what about screen time? Is this a cause for concern? Should we be pursuing those values or training those values into the kids on a screen rather than in person? What is the benefit of using these screens rather than being in person? Well, screen time is there, whether we like it or not. Very true. Yes, so we would only need to reinvest in that to make it positive for our children. Let's say, for example, our children in the summer will not have a lot of options to go outside and play, so by default what they will do is to use their screens. That's why we are still working on that matter to make the screen time more efficient, more useful.

11:46Builds the campus of the child from an early age so that by the time the children are interacting with each other, they understand what kind of value they are carrying so that it shows and their character when interacting with other people. Indeed, and the big shout outs to those of you who are just tuning in and just joined in the conversation we are in conversation with Bir al-Hamadi from the Shajar family and community councils, the media office. The video is uploaded on their YouTube page as well. If you've just in case if you've missed it live on the El Majid TV and Shajid TV, it's on their media underscore, SHJFCC, obviously following the story of the two characters, Mareem and Muhammad. Now, you've mentioned earlier that this was about the first episode, was about honesty, so every month we're getting an episode, gratefulness is the next one. Yes. What are the upcoming ones and what can we expect? We also have giving for the third month.

12:46This is a big value that has always been cherished by Her Highness and also by Her Highness, Dr Sultan, Muhammad Al-Kasim, the ruler of Shajar. And those are the values that they would like to see always in their children. And of course, the last one which will wrap up the year, as I said, is going to be related to cherishing identity through Arabic language. Amazing. Well, such a great to see that. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is content that is available online indeed. And it's all about celebrating the meaningful values to the work of animation, music and of course storytelling. Miral Hamadi, thank you very much for joining us this morning. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you for joining us. Incredible. This is Pulse 95, tune in live every weekday from 7am.