Zeerak's big sister Zari, introduced last year with great fanfare as the first Afghan muppet to join internationally cherished characters such as Big Bird and Elmo, has already proved a success on the local version of Sesame Street, known as 'Baghch-e-Simsim'. Across its global iterations, Sesame Street has made a point of inclusivity with its cast. Earlier this year the American version debuted a character with autism, while in South Africa the programme features a HIV-positive muppet. "Sesame Street is proud to support families of all shapes, sizes, and colors," the official account said. "This is very new for Afghan children", he says.

Source: The Star July 04, 2017 06:00 UTC