'Sesame Street' Welcomes First Afghan Muppet Named Zari
A new face has graced Afghanistan's "Baghch-e-Simsim" and the new character is deemed as a very special addition to the "Sesame Street" gang as she is said to teach a lot of valuable lessons to viewers.
Named Zari, the 6-year-old Afghan girl sports multi-colored hair and colorful outfits to further promote awareness of the beauty of Afghanistan's culture. Zari means "shimmering" and just as her name implies, the new muppet is expected to shine the light on various topics for children.
According to The Associated Press, Zari will have two major segments: one that she is doing on her own and the other with people to be interviewed. The Afghan puppet's topics will be focused on appealing to children as she will tackle health, exercise, and study.
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Entertainment Weekly reports that the muppet's two segments will be divided in three formats. The first is Zari Exercises, wherein children will be encouraged to stay physically and mentally fit. The second is Zari Says "Salaam," which promotes national identity, and the last is Zari Interviews a Doctor, wherein the puppet will talk to a pediatrician and ask about how to care for oneself.
Clemence Quint, program manager for Lapis Communications said everything about Zari, including her clothing, are reflections of the country's people. "Every Afghan can relate to Zari," she said, adding that "Zari is a female because in Afghanistan we thought it was really important to emphasize the fact that a little girl could do as much as everybody else."
Mansoora Shirzad is the voice actress for Zari and she believes that the new character will affect the lives of children in a positive way as well as inform them of the things they need to know.
The country still fights for proper education and with Zari's entry to the local small screens, it is expected that more children will be introduced to empowerment and the importance of having an identity despite living in a region with a long history of war and extremism.
