The relaunched Arabic cartoon will encourage children to find a balance between technology and the real world.
The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA) has signed an agreement with Bidaya Media in partnership with Mubadala to create a reboot of the Arabic-language cartoon series, titled The Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI, due to be broadcast next year.
The theme of the show will centre on encouraging cultural awareness, preserving national identity and strengthening a sense of belonging among Emiratis.
The Adventures of Mansour: Age of AI will also continue the legacy of the original show to inspire all children in the region to maintain a balanced mix between technology, social and human interactions, and outdoor play.
The new series will explore themes and global issues that speak to the current generation of children, including AI, the role of and reliance on technology, climate change and space exploration.
Commenting on the sponsorship of the show, Sana Suhail, Director General of ECA, said: “We are proud of our deepening partnership with Mubadala in expanding the available development opportunities for children through our sponsorship of such a popular show. Importantly, the relaunch exhibits the healthy balance that is needed in today’s world between the role of technology in our lives and the need for children to disconnect from their devices and connect with the real world. This healthy mix between the online and real worlds is at the core of this show and is key to better prepare our children for the future.”
Homaid Al Shimmari, Deputy Group CEO and Chief Corporate & Human Capital Officer, Mubadala, added: “We are delighted to build on our ongoing partnership with the ECA through their sponsorship of the new series of The Adventures of Mansour. The show has already captured the imaginations of young audiences and established a wide fan base across the region. We understand the vital role this show plays in the development of children, who view ‘Mansour’ as a role model and connect with him as he shares important messages of cultural knowledge, identity, and the values we want to teach our children. ECA will be a key partner in helping to maintain a positive message of maintaining a balanced and healthy upbringing, and we look forward to creating content for generations with this ambition for the youth in mind.”
Nabil El Jisr, CEO of Bidaya Media, stated: “Mansour has been hugely successful with over 2bn YouTube views. With our compelling stories and content, we are harnessing Emirati values and culture, and creating awareness for these among the youth, as well as the new generation, by leveraging Mansour and its popularity amongst the Emirati community. This serves to encourage, protect, and support Emirati heritage and principles for future generations.”
The rebooted series will build on the huge success of the original show created by Rashed Alharmoodi, which currently has more than 2bn YouTube views,3m subscribers and 300m watch hours, which include more than 25m unique viewers in the last 90 days at the time of writing.
The new series, targeted at children aged six to 12, will be created with higher-quality animation.
As part of the relaunch, ECA and Mubadala will also be creating a series of youth-focused activities such as a roadshow, to local youth centres and summer camps and workshops where young people will have the opportunity to learn about channelling their inner creativity and creating high-quality content.
