For The Three Amigos HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme please see www.thethreeamigos.org
CHOCOLATE MOOSE MEDIA
Firdaus Kharas has been referred to in the media as a “world renowned” director and producer of animation, documentaries, television series and film. His current work focuses on innovative solutions to global issues by creating various types of media to effect societal and individual behavioural change through mass communications spanning across many cultures and countries to better the human condition.
In 1995 Mr. Kharas founded Chocolate Moose Media, a social enterprise to undertake both for-profit and non-profit media activities.
Mr. Kharas creates media specifically to educate and entertain across cultural barriers. His media positively influences audiences’ knowledge, attitudes and behavior, especially amongst children and young adults.
Mr. Kharas creates global communications programs to confront the many obstacles that separate human beings: religions and ethnicities; traditions and histories; languages and cultures; stereotypes and stigmas; racism and prejudices; hatreds and fears.
Among other topics his media have dealt with are: universal values, children\'s rights, children\'s education, street children, children at risk, child refugees, literacy, HIV/AIDS prevention, malaria prevention, rape in a situation of conflict, various forms of sexual abuse, domestic violence, and the preservation of cultures especially in Africa and Asia.
An article on Mr. Kharas in a university publication said "individuals can make a difference.... He is living testament to it". Canada’s national newspaper, captured Mr. Kharas\' philosophy well in a headline: “I’m just trying to make a small contribution”.
His main avenues are short- and long-form animation, documentaries and television programs. In particular, Mr. Kharas has created, directed and produced 2,612 animated behavior change communications shorts in 5 series, used in over 150 countries, after adaptation into 90 languages with a potential reach of about 5.5 billion people in their own language.
In long-form television series, Mr. Kharas has produced: the first pre-school animated series in Arabic; the first animated series based on African culture; the first animated series pre-school series in Holland; the first English-language daily hour-long drama in Asia and other pioneering series seen across many countries. In documentaries, Mr. Kharas has produced several documentaries related to human rights, in particular on children\'s rights.
Mr. Kharas has received several awards personally, including the United Nations Peace Medal from the UN Secretary-General, the medal of the World Federation of UN Associations, an Honorary Doctorate and the Distinguished Alumnus Award from his alma mater, an Honorary Fellowship from a university in London, the Global Development Award and the ReelWorld Trailblazer award.
His work has garnered over 70 international awards in just the last few years. These include the Peabody Award, CINE Golden Eagle, Telly, Platinum Remi, Chris, Hugo, Golden Reel, Davey, Gold World Medal in New York, Grand Festival Award (Berkeley), Accolade, Silver Globe and First Prize at the Chicago International Children\'s Festival. Mr. Kharas\' work has been strongly supported by Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
Mr. Kharas is currently the subject of a documentary been made by an independent production company. Over 500 articles have been written in the international media about his work and both graduate and under-graduate students in several universities have studied his efforts to cross cultural boundaries. His work has been profiled in higher education textbooks with a print-run of over 50,000 copies.
';