RIYADH: As Walt Disney founded the world's largest and most influential entertainment conglomerate, an Egyptian journalist with Majid magazine is being hailed as the “Walt Disney of the UAE” for his key role in shaping the region's media landscape.
For many Arab adults now in their 50s, the magazine and its beloved characters, Majid, Kaslan Jiddan and Captain Khalfan, are symbols of childhood joy. Yet, few recognize the creative genius behind these precious memories: Ahmed Omar, who died on August 9 at the age of 85.
His vision and storytelling were crucial in shaping the magazine's lasting legacy.
Born in Egypt in September 1939, Omar began a lifelong journey with words and stories.
His passion for reading blossomed at an early age, and school and public libraries became his sanctuary, where he immersed himself in a world of diverse books and nurtured a deep love for literature.
Omar's frequent visits to Cairo's Azbakeya book market, where he found affordable secondhand books, helped him build a personal library filled with a variety of titles. His extensive reading played an important role in shaping his vision and enriching his ideas, which later shone through in his literary works.
He read to build a deep store of knowledge, classical literature fascinated him from an early age. Naguib Mahfouz's novels, which explore the complexities of life in Egyptian territories, had a profound influence on him. Omar was also shaped by the works of famous Egyptian writers such as Yusuf Idris, Gamal El-Ghitani, Mohammed Hassanin Haykal and other prominent writers.
He began his professional career at Al-Ittihad newspaper in the UAE, where he was a founding member and contributed to its foundation. He later managed the local news branch.
One of the most important achievements of his career was founding the Majid magazine for children and becoming its editor-in-chief in 1979. The idea for the magazine was born in Al-Etihad Daily and eventually turned into one of the most important children's magazines in the Arab world. the world
Omar recognized the need for a publication that represented Arab children, stimulated their imaginations, and nurtured their minds. Working with a talented team of journalists and illustrators, he turned the magazine into a platform for expressing the thoughts and feelings of Arab children through words and drawings.
Through his tireless efforts, Omar made the magazine a symbol of Arab childhood and a cherished part of the memories of successive generations.
He spent most of his time in the magazine's office, composing, planning, supervising writers and content, and preparing issues. When a new issue was printed, he had several weeks' worth of issues ready in advance.
The inaugural issue of the magazine was published on February 28, 1979, with 5,000 free copies that quickly disappeared from the shelves. Majid, a character representing human values rather than superpowers, kept pace with the children. Majid Magazine maintained a weekly publication schedule every Wednesday, gaining significant popularity throughout the region.
Omar supervised and managed the magazine with utmost care and interest for nearly 30 years. He provided guidebooks for children and wrote scripts for comic stories, enriching each issue with beloved characters such as Jackie the Clever and Captain Khalfan.
His editorials in Majid magazine served as a weekly text for both children and adults, filled with educational messages and moral guidance. His contribution established him as an educational pioneer, as he devoted his knowledge to serving the younger generation and imparting valuable lessons.
Through his deep understanding of childhood maps and mysteries, Omar Arab managed to capture the attention of children around the world. The magazine's readership grew to hundreds of thousands of young readers.
The late journalist believed that it is the collective duty of families, schools and newspapers to inculcate the love of reading in children. He famously remarked: “The reading habit is important to establish early in life, as it is difficult to cultivate later. Introducing a child to magazines is more than just entertainment – it is an important step in nurturing a lifelong passion for reading.”
Since the magazine's inception, Omar was dedicated to imbuing it with a distinct Gulf Arab flavor reflected in its content, stories and characters. He attracted prominent children's writers and cartoonists, ensuring that the magazine resonated deeply with young readers across the Arab world by preserving the unique identity of Gulf children.
Notable characters such as Kaslan Ziddan, Faduli, Abu al-Dhurfa, Zakiyah al-Zaqiyah, Shamsa and Dana, and Captain Khalfan and his assistant Fahman became beloved figures among the magazine's young audience.
Omar stressed that his magazine was designed to appeal to children raised in a traditional environment with religious values, cultural awareness and pride in their Arab heritage.
As a testament to the success of his magazine, Majid's mail subscriptions flourished throughout the Arab world as fans eagerly awaited each issue every Wednesday. For decades, it managed to compete with translated comic magazines such as Mickey (licensed from Disney and translated into Egypt) and Little Lulu (licensed and translated into Lebanon).
As a result, the magazine evolved with the social progress of the UAE and embraced digital progress with a YouTube channel and website, although critics argue that despite the additional reach provided by modern technology – it once was in the 1990s. and the 1980s.
