Thursday, Oct. 06, 2011
Wheelchair-Bound Sivan
In an effort to increase what Sesame Street producers call "Muppet Diplomacy," the Israeli version of the show, Rechov Sumsum, teamed up with Beit Issie Shapiro, a non-profit that promotes the inclusion of people with special needs, to introduce Sivan, a disabled Muppet who sits in a wheelchair. In the episode above Sivan shows kid viewers that just because you're in a wheelchair doesn't mean you can't have fun at a playground.
The Isreali version of the show has also focused, albeit not without controversy, on increasing diplomacy by showcasing friendly interactions between Israeli and Palestinian Muppets.