Panwapa, which means "here on this earth" in the Tshiluba language, aims to foster the foundation for global citizenship and community participation in young children, aged four to seven. Featuring an entirely new group of Muppet characters, Panwapa consists of an interactive website, www.panwapa.com, a DVD, and print materials that are available in five languages to children around the world — Arabic, English, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish. Beginning today, Panwapa will be available at no charge on iTunes (www.iTunes.com) and starting January 2008.

Panwapa will be available on free video-on-demand (VoD), via PBS Kids Sprout, the first and only 24-hour preschool network for kids aged 2-5 and their parents and caregivers. Additionally, Panwapa games and information will be available at SproutOnline.com. Both media platforms support Sesame Workshop’s and Merrill Lynch’s outreach efforts in reaching as many children as possible.

The website, www.panwapa.com, is the center of the initiative. The experience begins on Panwapa Island. This is a floating island that travels the oceans of the world, where children and their caregivers will enter the virtual Panwapa community and meet newly created Muppet characters such as Athena the Owl and Azibo the Monster.

Children will be able to safely travel around the world and visit with Panwapa kids from other countries, watch interactive movies, learn words in other languages, and collect Panwapa Cards by going on international treasure hunts.

In addition, 200,000 Panwapa educational kits will be distributed to caregivers in the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Jordan and Mexico to encourage long-term exploration of the issues of global citizenship. The kit includes a DVD, a caregiver magazine with an activity section for children, a board game that reinforces the lessons, and a map of the world to support and complement the Panwapa experience. Local launches in the participating countries will follow the US launch.

A team of international cultural experts, early childhood researchers, educators and media specialists from nine countries and organisations such as Oxfam, Unicef and the World Bank first developed the idea for Panwapa in 2005. Multi-national teams from Merrill Lynch and Sesame Workshop worked with the advisors to create content for the program, focussing on messages of global citizenship for young children.

The international advisory board, led by Dr. Charlotte Frances Cole, Vice President for Education and Research at Sesame Workshop, developed five broad educational goals for the project.

Awareness of the Wider World: An understanding of the linkages between local neighborhoods and communities and national and global issues.

Appreciating Similarities and Differences: An understanding of and respect for similarities and differences among the people of the world and the interconnectedness of the world’s systems.

Taking Responsibility for One’s Behaviours: An awareness of one’s actions and one’s impact on others, the willingness and desire to take responsibility for one’s actions, and an effort to seek ways to make the world a better place.
Community Participation and Willingness to

Take Action: A desire to participate in and contribute to one’s community locally and globally, as well as a willingness to take action around persistent issues and work through them to effect meaningful civic improvement.
Understanding of and Responsiveness to

Economic Disparity: An understanding that all people share certain basic needs and disparities in resources affect individuals’ abilities to fulfill these needs -- and a desire to address these disparities.

Merrill Lynch chairman and CEO Stan O'Neal says, "With offices in 38 countries and territories, Merrill Lynch understands the need for global awareness and is committed to providing children the tools to be effective participants in an increasingly global economy.

"We partnered with Sesame Workshop because no one captures children’s hearts and minds as memorably as the furry friends at Sesame Street. Our 61,900 employees around the world are eager to bring the Panwapa content alive by volunteering at preschools, community centers and child care centers in their communities."

Sesame Workshop president and CEO Gary E. Knell says, "Sesame Workshop has provided children with tools they need to reach their highest potential for over 37 years utilizing all forms of media.

"Panwapa is a groundbreaking programme that will help children to develop an understanding of their culture, an appreciation for differences and similarities of others, and a passion for the people, issues and ideas that help to shape our world."