DUBAI: A school in the US state of Maryland has reportedly canceled a production of “Aladdin, Junior” due to complaints that is was based on negative stereotypes of Arabs.
After the Westowne Elementary Drama Club started rehearsals for the play, based on the 1992 Disney film, one mother said her son came home upset, a local news channel reported.
“In the play, Arabs are described as barbaric, those are the exact words that are used,” Danette Zaghari-Mask said, according to wfla.com.
Zaghari-Mask, an attorney with the Council on American-Islamic Relations, decided to speak out.
“It was worth expressing his experience to the school and I’m just... so relieved that the school is considerate of diversity,” she said, according to the news channel.
On its website, the channel reported that a letter written to drama club parents, sent after the play was canceled, read in part:
“Recently, it has been brought to our attention that Disney’s ‘Aladdin, Jr.’ has historically been criticized for its inaccurate, negative stereotyping of Arabic culture... After careful consideration and with input from the perspectives of many stakeholders — teachers, parents and community members — we decided that this production of 'Aladdin, Jr.' is not the best fit for our Westowne Community.”
US school cancels ‘Aladdin’ play after accusations of Arab stereotyping
US school cancels ‘Aladdin’ play after accusations of Arab stereotyping
Sony’s Alpha Femme initiative debuts in UAE ahead of Saudi launch
JEDDAH: Sony has brought its Alpha Femme initiative to the UAE for the first time, with several workshops taking place this week ahead of the next edition in Saudi Arabia.
Emirati photographer and Sony’s digital imaging ambassador Amani AlShaali conducted a workshop on fine art photography at Garage Studio in Dubai on Sunday.
The workshops in the UAE are designed to support women across photography, videography, cinematography, and content creation.
Suchismita Bhattarcharjee, category manager, interchangeable lens cameras, Sony Middle East and Africa, spoke to Arab News about the initiative and its goals for the region’s female content creators.
“Bringing a program like Alpha Femme to the UAE was part of our effort at nurturing local creator communities, with a specific focus on supporting women who are shaping visual storytelling in meaningful and impactful ways,” said Bhattarcharjee.
“Access to learning platforms and communities, such as Alpha Femme, play a key role in helping creators build both technical capability and creative direction.”
Sony’s goal for participants, she said, was to “walk away with stronger professional connections, enhanced creative confidence, and practical knowledge that they can apply directly to their work.
“What is equally important is the sense of community and peer exchange that this will offer, creating a network where women can support one another, share experiences, and continue growing together within the region’s evolving creator landscape,” she added.
Alpha Femme in the UAE will organize monthly workshops to empower women across the creative industry.
The workshop topics will revolve around “practical creative skills, real-world workflows, and the evolving needs of the creative economy, ensuring the program remains relevant and responsive to the community it supports.”
These sessions are designed to bring beginner and experienced creators together for hands-on learning, industry knowledge sharing, and direct engagement with Sony ambassadors and speakers.
The launch of the initiative in UAE follows editions in Kuwait, South Africa, Egypt, and Kazakhstan.
“Sony is continuing to expand the initiative across the region, with the next edition set to take place in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing Alpha Femme’s role as a growing regional platform for women in visual storytelling,” said Bhattarcharjee.
