Facebook game with Arab heroes who fight extremism

Advertisement
By Indo Asian News Service | Updated: 5 June 2012 01:59 IST
Highlights
  • A computer game with Arab super heroes has been launched on Facebook in order to create a positive image
A computer game with Arab super heroes has been launched on Facebook. The creator hopes to create a positive image for children who could be enticed by extremist views.

Suleiman Bakhit designed the Happy Oasis game that has already attracted 50,000 followers, BBC reported.

Bakhit - who hails from Jordan - was a student at the US University of Minnesota when the 9/11 attacks took place.

In the aftermath of the terror attack, he was assaulted by four men because he was an Arab.

However, instead of feeling bitter, Bakhit decided to engage in an educational campaign.

"I realised that you fight extremism by starting with the young. The message was simple - 'We are not all terrorists'", he said.

Bakhit began telling "Aladdin-style" stories in local schools in Minnesota.

"One day a child asked me if there was an Arab superman and I realised that there wasn't," he said.

Bakhit then began a comic-book project that 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, 300,000 copies of Bakhit's comics have been sold.

He then came to realise that there was also 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.

Bakhit said he was undecided about whether to include a character dressed in a burqa until he showed the animated character to a focus group.

"They loved the idea, so she was in," he said.

Bakhit hopes to take his comic book model to Pakistan, where extremism is a growing problem.

Get your daily dose of tech news, reviews, and insights, in under 80 characters on Gadgets 360 Turbo. Connect with fellow tech lovers on our Forum. Follow us on X, Facebook, WhatsApp, Threads and Google News for instant updates. Catch all the action on our YouTube channel.

Further reading: Arab super heroes, Facebook
Advertisement
Popular Mobile Brands
  1. Xiaomi TV S Mini LED 75 (2026) Review
  2. Oppo Find X9 Ultra With 200-Megapixel Periscope Camera Launched Globally
  3. Microsoft Cuts Xbox Game Pass Prices in India, Global Markets
  4. Vivo X300 FE Roundup: Expected Price in India, Specifications
  5. Motorola Edge 70 Pro+ Leaked Renders Hint at Design, Five Colour Options
  6. These Vivo Smartphones Will Cost More in India Due to the Latest Price Hike
  7. Why the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G and A37 5G's 5000mAh Battery Outlasts Phones With 6000mAh
  8. GeForce Now Review:  Is Nvidia's High-End Cloud Gaming Service For You?
  9. Oppo Find X9s Pro Launched With 200-Megapixel Cameras: See Price, Features
  10. Oppo Enco Clip 2 With Open-Ear Design, Launched Alongside Oppo Watch X3 Mini
  1. Spotify Ads Manager Platform Launched in India, Brings Self-Serve Advertising to Businesses
  2. Microsoft Cuts Xbox Game Pass Prices in India, Global Markets; Ends Day-One Call of Duty Access
  3. Incoming Apple CEO John Ternus Already Driving AI Overhaul Ahead of Leadership Transition: Report
  4. NASA Shuts Down Voyager 1 Instrument to Extend Mission Life in Deep Space
  5. Oppo Enco Clip 2 With Open-Ear Design, Up to 40 Hours Total Battery Life Launched Alongside Oppo Watch X3 Mini
  6. Vivo Y6t Launched With 6,500mAh Battery, Snapdragon 4 Gen 2 SoC: Price, Specifications
  7. OCBC Partners Lion Global Investors and DigiFT to Launch Tokenised Gold Fund With GOLDX Token
  8. Oppo Pad 5 Pro Launched With 13,380mAh Battery, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC Alongside Oppo Pad Mini: Price, Features
  9. Redmi K90 Max Launched With Dimensity 9500 SoC, 8,550mAh Battery and Active Cooling Fan: Price, Specifications
  10. Oppo Find X9 Ultra Launched With Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 SoC, 200-Megapixel Periscope Camera: Price, Specifications
Download Our Apps
Available in Hindi
© Copyright Red Pixels Ventures Limited 2026. All rights reserved.