"Mansour," The New Emirati Television Cartoon, To Broadcast On UAE TV Networks Beginning January 2013
Abu Dhabi Emirates, Sama Dubai awarded broadcast rights for the first season
Mansour, a new Emirati cartoon about a young boy with big dreams he shares with his friends and family, will begin broadcasting on two UAE television networks beginning in January.
Mubadala Development Company, which is funding the initial phase of Mansour as part of its community outreach program, has signed collaboration agreements with Abu Dhabi Media and Dubai Media Incorporated, awarding both organizations the rights to broadcast the first season of Mansour.
Mansour is the first Emirati production to apply high quality global animation techniques. Envisaged as a way of engaging children at a young age, the cartoon is the story of a young boy living in Abu Dhabi, who learns life lessons as he embarks on exciting adventures with his friends and family. The plot incorporates important issues facing the young generation into exciting and compelling storylines designed to captivate their imagination. Mansour not only emphasizes the importance of the Arabic language to Emirati culture, but also the value of a strong education and a healthy lifestyle.
Commenting on the agreement, the creator, Rashed Al Harmoodi, said: “Collaborating with popular networks is a key element to Mansour’s success. We’ve targeted channels that mirror the show’s artistic innovation and cultural identity. The objective behind the cartoon is to prepare children for technology intensive industries and advanced lifestyles. We are confident of the support both organizations will offer to promote Mansour. ”
“The power of the cartoon comes through the richness of the characters, the challenges they face, how they overcome them, and the strength of the storylines. Communicating important values and principals is something that will happen naturally throughout episodes.” added Al Harmoodi.
Eissa Al Mail, Head of Abu Dhabi Emirates channel, said: "We are proud to provide distinct Emirati content that targets children in the UAE. Mansour represents a role model for our sons and daughters from five to 12 years, showcasing positive behavior around education, health and culture in a fun and engaging manner. Broadcasting Mansour on our channel is in line with our commitment to the UAE’s community and efforts to develop children into accomplished adults who can participate in their nation’s progress.”
Abu Dhabi Emirates channel was established with the purpose of educating the audience about the UAE, its culture, and identity.
Khalifa Hamad Abu Shahab, Head of Sama Dubai channel commented; “From the outset, it’s been important for us that the storylines are exciting and entertaining for our audience. As our programs are designed to entertain the entire family, we’re delighted to host a show like Mansour that embeds important values in our children. After all, the habits we develop as children are often with us for the rest of our life.”
Sama Dubai is known to play a substantial role in the production of local and Khaleeji dramas, as well as presenting classical Arabic drama and theater. The agreement is in line with the channel’s commitment to increasing the number of locally produced entertainment shows that meet the demands and tastes of audiences as diverse as the UAE’s population.
Haidar Mohamed, Co-Founder and General Manager, Fanar Productions, the cartoon’s producers, said: “This has been a truly inspiring project to be involved in. Through Mansour we’ve been able to bring to bear cutting-edge technology with powerful storylines that we believe kids will love.
The first 13 episodes of the first season of Mansour will be broadcasted on both channels from January 3rd until February 14th, every Wednesday and Thursday between 4 and 6 pm. The second half of the season is scheduled to begin in April 3rd until May 16th.
Pushing new boundaries in animation, Mansour is the first locally produced cartoon that blends traditional Arabic themes with world class production standards used by animation giants like Disney and Nickelodeon. The show is scheduled to start airing in January 2013 on Abu Dhabi Emirates and Sama Dubai. The developers of Mansour are in negotiation with regional channels to broadcast the show.
A Mansour mascot will also mark the opening of the Mubadala World Tennis Championship, which will take place at Zayed Sports City from 27th December to 29th December 2012, where he will join the children in a range of fun activities in the Mubadala Interactive Zone.
Along with the cartoon’s main protagonist, Mansour, the show’s young hero is joined on his adventures by his family and friends, who include:
• Khaled: Mansour’s father, a pilot and a role model for our young protagonist, he has witnessed the transformations the UAE has undergone in the past decades and has many exciting stories to tell about his past.
• Mariam: Mansour’s mother is a leading light in our young hero’s life and strongly believes in the important role women must play in building the country’s future.
• Sara: Mansour’s talkative seven year old sister who owns an even more talkative pet parrot.
• Saqer: Mansour’s grandfather – a former pearl diver – is an embodiment of Emirati heritage and a rock in Mansour’s life, keeping our young hero grounded yet encouraging him to learn more and more.
• Nasir: Mansour’s older brother. He is studying business at university, and provides Mansour with guidance and support but also the occasional quarrel.
• Obaid and Salem: Mansour’s two closest friends – they are always with our hero when he embarks on a new adventure.
• Nano: a robot invented by Mansour, is a walking encyclopedia and a search engine with high capabilities, always comes to the rescue and plays a major role in Mansour’s daily life and adventures.
Emirate: Abu Dhabi
Date: Dec 20, 2012
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