28 Feb. - 6 March 2002
Issue No.575
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 28 Feb. - 6 March 2002 Issue No.575 |
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Of primary importance
Amany Abdel-Moneim finds out how a lion and his friends are teaching children how to be environmentally friendly
It is often said that people's bad habits are the worst polluters. Taking this argument to heart, a group of specialists have put their heads together and come up with a new book and cassette tape for children: "The Carnival of Animals."
The lion organises the zoo's animals in a campaign to clean their environment
"Our aim is to enter the children's world through music, grab their attention and deliver our message regarding various environmental issues," explained Nazih Girgis, founder and chairman of the US-Mid- East Music and Fine Arts Council, the body responsible for publishing the collection.
The music in "The Carnival of Animals" contains 14 movements and is based on a piece composed by French musician Charles Camille Saint-Saens in 1886. Each musical instrument or group of instruments in the piece echoes the sound of one of the most popular animals or birds. "Listening to such music helps kids soar with their imagination," said Girgis.
Girgis was the main force behind the project, which aims to raise children's awareness of environmentally friendly behavior. The text and the cassette of "Carnival of Animals" focus on the urgent need to keep the environment clean and tidy.
The idea of the book was inspired by a famous ballet of the same name. In this version, however, the characters of the ballet are children dressed up as animals and they dance to the music of Saint-Saens.
The backdrop is provided by colourful pictures designed and coloured by Salma Kamal, a student at the Faculty of Fine Arts. Kamal's pictures were enhanced by Viollette Osris's graphic work.
The book and the cassette tell the story of a group of children visiting the Zoo. They are surprised to find the animals out of their cages, trying to clean the zoo after the regular visiting hours. The children decide to help the animals and the lion, in his capacity as king, supervises the cleaning process. He tells the animals and birds to take apart the solid garbage which has been collected in order to have it recycled. They all start the work enthusiastically. Each works according to his or her ability regardless of the size or speed of their movements.
When the zoo is clean, the animals and birds join together to celebrate their great achievement. "I swear to God and to our beloved Egypt, its land sky and the Nile, to keep it clean, beautiful and healthy. I will prevent anyone from polluting its land or sky or water, as God is my witness," they sing.
Realism, however, has not been compromised. Girgis pointed out that the book makes clear the necessity of having an administrative body to guarantee the perfect execution of such work.
In the book, the lion king is the leader who took takes the role of an "administrative body," giving clear and precise instructions.
At the end of the book a glossary helps children remember the exact meanings of terms such as "solid garbage" and "recycling."
The set has already attracted publicity, winning the second prize in Mrs Suzanne Mubarak's Children's Literature 2001 awards this month. Salma Kamal won a certificate of honour for her design work.
"To make sure that the message is received by as many children as possible, the book will be distributed in schools for free," Girgis told Al-Ahram Weekly. He added that the Minister of Education has agreed to put five copies of the book and the accompanying cassette in every primary and prep school library in Egypt -- around 26,000 schools. The Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) is considering a proposal to finance the printing and publication of the book.
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