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TEDGlobal 2011: Social media game aims to end extremism | TEDGlobal 2011: Social media game aims to end extremism |
(about 4 hours later) | |
By Jane Wakefield Technology reporter, TEDGlobal, Edinburgh | By Jane Wakefield Technology reporter, TEDGlobal, Edinburgh |
A social media game with Arab super heroes at its heart has been launched on Facebook. | A social media game with Arab super heroes at its heart has been launched on Facebook. |
The man behind the project, Suleiman Bakhit, hopes that Happy Oasis can create positive role models for children who might otherwise be enticed by extremist views. | The man behind the project, Suleiman Bakhit, hopes that Happy Oasis can create positive role models for children who might otherwise be enticed by extremist views. |
The game launched this week and has already attracted 50,000 followers. | The game launched this week and has already attracted 50,000 followers. |
Newly appointed TED fellow Mr Bakhit spoke about his project at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh. | Newly appointed TED fellow Mr Bakhit spoke about his project at the TEDGlobal conference in Edinburgh. |
Mr Bakhit, who comes from Jordan, was a student at the US University of Minnesota when the 9/11 attacks took place. Shortly afterwards he was attacked by four men because he was an Arab. | Mr Bakhit, who comes from Jordan, was a student at the US University of Minnesota when the 9/11 attacks took place. Shortly afterwards he was attacked by four men because he was an Arab. |
Magic carpet | Magic carpet |
Instead of feeling bitter, Mr Bakhit decided to engage in an education campaign. | Instead of feeling bitter, Mr Bakhit decided to engage in an education campaign. |
"I realised that you fight extremism by starting with the young. The message was simple - 'We are not all terrorists'," he told the BBC. | |
Armed with a not-so-magic carpet, he began telling Aladdin-style stories in local schools. | Armed with a not-so-magic carpet, he began telling Aladdin-style stories in local schools. |
"One day a child asked me if there was an Arab superman and I realised that there wasn't," he said. | "One day a child asked me if there was an Arab superman and I realised that there wasn't," he said. |
So began his comic-book project which aimed to create a range of positive Arab role-models, including a female James Bond and a Jordanian special agent who fights extremists. | So began his comic-book project which aimed to create a range of positive Arab role-models, including a female James Bond and a Jordanian special agent who fights extremists. |
In Jordan, Mr Bakhit has sold 300,000 copies of his comics and came to realise that there was a market for a web-based version. | In Jordan, Mr Bakhit has sold 300,000 copies of his comics and came to realise that there was a market for a web-based version. |
"Print media is dying but there are 30 million Arabs on Facebook so I thought about making social games with the same message," he said. | "Print media is dying but there are 30 million Arabs on Facebook so I thought about making social games with the same message," he said. |
Mr Bakhit wanted to make sure that his characters related to the children he was aiming to reach. | Mr Bakhit wanted to make sure that his characters related to the children he was aiming to reach. |
"I took a peer-to-peer approach, engaging kids to get their ideas," he said. | "I took a peer-to-peer approach, engaging kids to get their ideas," he said. |
He was undecided about whether to include a character dressed in a burka until he showed the animated character to a focus group. | He was undecided about whether to include a character dressed in a burka until he showed the animated character to a focus group. |
"They loved the idea so she was in," he said. | "They loved the idea so she was in," he said. |
The first game featured special agent Element O and while it was, in Mr Bakhit's words "not very good", it did show him the potential of such a project. | The first game featured special agent Element O and while it was, in Mr Bakhit's words "not very good", it did show him the potential of such a project. |
"Fans were discussing the games in the forums and arguing about politics. I went on as Element O and the arguments immediately stopped," he said. | "Fans were discussing the games in the forums and arguing about politics. I went on as Element O and the arguments immediately stopped," he said. |
Mr Bakhit said he now hopes to take his comic book model to Pakistan, where extremism is a growing problem. | Mr Bakhit said he now hopes to take his comic book model to Pakistan, where extremism is a growing problem. |
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