Basma and Gargour, the colourful characters of the educational children’s TV show, ‘Ahlan Simsim’, paid a visit to Dubai to introduce audiences to their new season, which will focus on fostering a positive self identity among children.

Ahlan Simsim, Arabic for 'welcome sesame’, is the local version of sesame street in the Middle East and North Africa.

The show targets children aged three to eight, and has so far reached a total of 23 million children across the Middle East.

For their seventh season, the show is tackling mental health and self-identity, topics sometimes seen as taboo in the region.