WASHINGTON (Jan. 15, 2007)–National Geographic Society launches the newest edition of its children’s magazine in Egypt this month, bringing to 14 the number of international editions of its children’s publications. This is National Geographic’s first Arabic-language magazine.
National Geographic Youth will be published by Nahdet Misr Publishing Group and is the first scientific and cultural children’s magazine in the Arab world. Each 40-page issue will be reviewed by Arab scientists such as Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities and a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence.
Content for the magazine will be drawn primarily from the award-winning U.S. magazine National Geographic Kids and from other Society publications, including the Society’s classroom magazine, National Geographic Explorer. The Egyptian edition will also include local content related to the environment and other topics. Egypt’s First Lady, Suzan Mubarak, has written an introduction for the launch issue. The magazine will be available by subscription and on newsstands in Egypt.
Local editions of National Geographic’s children’s magazine are also available in Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Latin America, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Belgium, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey and the United Kingdom. This growth mirrors the global expansion of the famous yellow-bordered National Geographic magazine, now available in 29 local-language editions. The children’s magazines, which accept advertising, sport the familiar yellow border, emphasizing brand recognition of National Geographic magazine, which is read by 40 million people each month in every country in the world.
“The growth spurt of our children’s publications allows National Geographic and the local-language publishers to reach an untapped youth market with this best-loved brand,” said Society President John Fahey. “Giving young people in Egypt a window to the world in Arabic through National Geographic’s incomparable photographs and storytelling is a compelling way to extend the Society’s mission to spread geographic knowledge.”
The National Geographic Society is one of the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations. Founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge,” the Society works to inspire people to care about the planet. It reaches more than 350 million people worldwide each month through its official journal, National Geographic, and four other magazines; National Geographic Channel; television documentaries; radio programs; films; books; videos and DVDs; maps; and interactive media. National Geographic has funded more than 8,000 scientific research projects and supports an education program combating geographic illiteracy. For more information, visit nationalgeographic.com.
