"Kawkabani": The First Cartoon Series to Promote the 2022 World Cup

Since the show's debut, "Kawkabani" has been able to achieve great success at the grassroots level, especially since it is based on a reference titled "Qatar 2022 World Cup", with an innovative vision and idea by one of the young Qatari women writers; Amal al-Shammari.

"Kawkabani" is an entertainment cartoon series whose idea was born in 2018. It was born after four years and aims to promote the Qatar World Cup. The series is set in the suburbs of Qatar with the aim of sharing local culture with international audiences.

The series is directed by Hussein Haidar and produced by the studio Nafeesh Animation. It consists of five episodes, each lasting 11 minutes, and its first episode is on YouTube during Eid al-Fitr.

On his way to the Qatar World Cup, his vehicle crashed in the Saline Desert. Three young Qataris who decided to host him until the World Cup were found to be acquainted with the culture, customs, generosity, lifestyle, and all that awaits visitors to the World Cup.

Reality advertising

"Kawkabani", the first Qatari cartoon web series whose crew included 40 people, was able to provide good and realistic publicity for the State of Qatar, which is hosting the World Cup at the end of this year, by presenting a beautiful image of Qatar in a social format infused with comedy.

Qatari writer Amal al-Shammari said the series, which uses a cartoon-like technique, aims to introduce viewers to Qatar in general; its customs, traditions, and the way of life of society, as well as promote the Qatar World Cup, highlighting the stadiums allocated for the tournament, introducing Qatar as a tourist destination, in addition to providing an opportunity for Qatari youth to showcase their talents and participate in the creative field such as the field of cartoons.

Al-Shammari told Al-Jazeera.net that there are many questions about Arab culture in general and Qatari culture in particular. In the series, Kawkabani raises most of these questions that come to the mind of any visitor, and then the response to them comes in a comedic way.

Active method

Drama is an effective tool in conveying people's culture, she said. It is also an art that is inseparable from reality, telling stories and treating them in a smooth and comical way that facilitates the delivery of messages indirectly, she said.

Kawkabani is rich in details, she said, as he shows three young Qataris—one Bedouin, the other Hadhari, the third from a Qatari father and a British mother—as well as scenes that cultivate the good qualities that the people of Qatar have long been known for, such as honesty, dignity, courage, and generosity.

Al-Shammary said Qatari and Gulf culture is full of untold stories that encourage creative people to write stories inspired by this heritage and present it to the world with global quality.

"Kawkabani" is the first time a young Qatari writer has written novels, poems, and screenplays for short commercial videos. She is currently working on a production for children.

Hussein Haidar, director of "Kawkabani", said the series is a work that includes fun content with international quality. It carries our Arab values, touches on reality, respects the viewer's mentality, and sees its affiliation in this work and its story as one that is told.

Universal language

Cartoons are an international language that targets all ages and nationalities. Fiction has no borders or ceiling, he said, and "Kawkabani" is the product of local talent collaborating to produce an integrated work that rivals the global market and places Qatar on the cartoon map.

The first episode of "Kawkabani", which aired on YouTube on the first day of Eid al-Fitr, attracted thousands of views and was well received by viewers. The show featured a distinctive appearance.