RIYADH: Just as Walt Disney built one of the world's largest and most influential entertainment conglomerates, an Egyptian journalist is hailed as the “Walt Disney of the UAE” for his key role in shaping the media landscape in the region with Majid Magazine.
For many Arab adults in their 50s, the magazine and its beloved characters, such as Majid, Kaslan Jiddan and Captain Khalfan, are symbols of childhood joy. However, few know the creative genius behind these precious memories: Ahmed Omar, who passed away on August 9 at the age of 85.
His vision and storytelling skills were instrumental in shaping the magazine's lasting legacy.
Born in Egypt in September 1939, Omar has traveled extensively in words and stories.
His love of reading flourished at an early age, and school and libraries became his sanctuary, where he immersed himself in the world of various books and nurtured a deep love of literature.
Omar's frequent visits to the Azbakeya Book Market in Cairo, where he found expensive books, helped him build a personal library full of different titles. His extensive reading played an important role in shaping his views and developing his ideas, which later shone through in his writings.
He read to build a deep reservoir of knowledge, with classical literature having fascinated him since childhood. Naguib Mahfouz's novel, which explores the intricacies of life in the Egyptian countryside, had a profound effect on him. Omar was also developed by famous Egyptian writers such as Yusuf Idris, Gamal El-Ghitani, Mohamed Hassanein Heikal and other famous writers.
He began his professional career at the United Arab Emirates newspaper Al-Etihad, where he was a founding member and helped establish the foundation. Later he managed the local news division.
The most important achievement in his career was the establishment of Majid Magazine for children and he became the editor-in-chief in 1979. The idea of the magazine was born in Al-Etihad daily and eventually transformed into one of the most important children's magazines in Arabic. the world.
Omar recognized the need for Arab children to have books that represent them, stimulate their imaginations and nourish their imaginations. Working with a team of talented journalists and illustrators, he transformed the newspaper into a platform for expressing the thoughts and feelings of Arab children through words and pictures.
Through his tireless efforts, Omar made the magazine a symbol of Arab childhood and a cherished part of the memories of generations.
He spent most of his time in the magazine's office, creating, planning, supervising writers and content, and planning issues. When the new issue was printed, it was planned several weeks in advance.
The first issue of the magazine was published on February 28, 1979, with 5,000 free copies that quickly disappeared from the shelves. Majid, a character who represents human values rather than superpowers, has impressed the children. Majid Magazine maintained a weekly publication schedule every Wednesday without fail, gaining popularity across the region.
For almost 30 years, Omar has overseen and managed the newspaper with utmost care and interest. He directed articles for children and wrote scripts for comics, enriching each issue with such beloved characters as Zaki the Clever and Captain Khalfan, among others.
His articles in Majid Magazine serve as weekly lessons for children and adults, full of educational messages and moral guidance. His involvement made him a pioneer in education, as he dedicated his knowledge to serving the youth and imparting valuable lessons.
Through his deep understanding of the mysteries and secrets of childhood, Omar managed to capture the attention of children throughout the Arab world. The readership grew to hundreds of thousands of young readers.
This late journalist believed that nurturing the love of reading in children is a joint responsibility of the family, the school and the newspaper. He famously remarked, “It is very important to inculcate the habit of reading early, because it is difficult to cultivate it later. Introducing a child to newspapers isn't just about providing entertainment – it's an important step in fostering a lifelong love of reading.”
Since the magazine's inception, Omar has been dedicated to imbuing it with the unique flavor of the Arabian Gulf, reflected in its content, stories and personalities. He attracted famous children's writers and cartoonists, ensuring that the magazine resonated deeply with young readers across the Arab world by maintaining the uniqueness of children in the Gulf.
Celebrities such as Kaslan Jiddan, Fadooli, Abu Al-Dhurfaa, Zakiyah Al-Zakiyah, Shamsa and Dana, and Captain Khalfan and his assistant Fahman became celebrities among the young audience of the newspaper.
Omar emphasized that his magazine was designed to appeal to children growing up in a traditional environment, to include religious values, cultural awareness and pride in their Arab heritage.
As a testament to the success of his magazine, Majid's email subscriptions flourished across the Arab World as fans eagerly awaited each Wednesday issue. For decades, it managed to compete with translated comic magazines such as Mickey (licensed by Disney and translated in Egypt) and Little Lulu (licensed and translated in Lebanon).
As a result, the magazine has evolved with social progress in the UAE and embraced digital advances with a YouTube channel and a website, although critics say it has no impact today — or despite the additional access afforded by modern technology—as in the 1990s and 1980s.
