Smile please!

Veer Vij loves Modhesh and can't wait to see him this year. He is almost four years old, and this will be his second year visiting the Modhesh Fun City. Kshitij Banerjee, who's seven, has heard a lot about the character and is also excited about visiting Modhesh Fun City with his friends to pay Modhesh a visit.

Their enthusiasm isn't misplaced. Modhesh is fun, bubbly and energetic and has a huge fan following among children, rightly earning the title of the 'Ambassador of Smiles'.

His role as the mascot of the Dubai Summer Surprises and the central attraction of the Modhesh Fun City has made Modhesh very popular among children in the UAE and GCC.

But that's not all. He is also gaining recognition for his annual goodwill tour visiting children's hospitals such as the Royal Hospital in Oman and Hope Centre for Children with Special Needs in Bahrain. This year, Modhesh will visit Kuwait, Qatar and the UK, distributing gifts, treats and hugs.

Laila Suhail, CEO, Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) Office, says, "Modhesh is an embodiment of good, kindness and universal values and we believe that we do have a responsibility to reach out to young people, not only to the children of our own community, but also to children across the region and internationally as well."

His little fans

While Modhesh will be making several such appearances throughout the year, his presence at the opening of the Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2008 is a much-awaited event, especially for his little fans.

However, if you miss him there, you can head to Modhesh Fun City. The venue, which attracted approximately 400,000 visitors during DSS last year, has become a 'must-visit' destination due to its association with Modhesh, who symbolises the warm and generous hospitality that Dubai is known for.

According to the DSF Office, Modhesh Fun City is the largest 'edutainment' site in the region that provides visitors of all ages a memorable experience during the DSS.

The venue has a number of themed zones that are designed not only to entertain but also educate children. One of these is the special toddler zone that offers little ones the opportunity to play in playhouses and mazes.

Mauli Vij, Veer's mom, is very excited about taking him to this zone, as she is about introducing him to rides he couldn't take last year. Kshitij is also looking forward to getting on the rides.

"I am really thrilled about going to Fun City with my friends Akshath and Akash. I want to try the rides and also visit the arts and crafts zone."

Different zones

However, it's not just the children who love the rides, Fun City's carnival rides are a favourite with people from all age groups.

Zones such as the arts and crafts area are great for children, who can create beautiful handicrafts while sharpening their creative skills and learning about patterns and colours.

Other attractions at the venue include the sand zone and the balloon art zone. The 'think and play' zone, which features challenging games, will also give parents and children an opportunity to bond and have fun together. Older children, on the other hand, can head to the tech zone to play computer games.

Each year Modhesh Fun City features new additions that highlight the festive experience in the theme park. In 2007, they had interesting zones such as the ice arena, story teller, pet zone and the library zone.

This year, the DSF Office is introducing zones such as the Toy Store, Magic Planet, Spiderman, and PlayStation. And for the first time in the history of the Fun City, an ice-skating rink will also feature as part of the attractions.

Modhesh Friends Club

The DSF office says that in addition, the venue will also have themed areas such as the Modhesh Saloon for the fashion conscious, an exclusive Modhesh library, Modhesh nursery for toddlers, extreme sports zone and a teenage zone for billiards and snooker.

Retail zones in the Fun City will also feature Modhesh merchandise.

Visitors can also see entertainment acts that will be held on the main stage. There will also be a number of in-house parades that will showcase colourful costumes and characters.

In addition, we recommend a trip to the heritage zone, which will give visitors and tourists a glimpse of the culture and traditions of the UAE.

Members of the Modhesh Friends Club also have a lot in store for them this year. The club, which is open to children between the ages of four and 13, is scheduled to start on June 21 and operate until August 21.

The DSF office has laid out a comprehensive and carefully planned programme that aims at developing children's skills and abilities while making the whole experience fun.

The programme will include field trips to various entertainment and social institutions around Dubai. Trips to Wild Wadi, Magic Planet, Ski Dubai and watching movies at selected cinemas are all part of the deal. In addition, field trips will include social visits to hospitals and water bus trips.

Worldwide phenomenon

In addition to all these programmes and events, the DSF office is also focusing on a branding initiative that will see several marketing and promotional activities highlighting Modhesh's new stature as a worldwide phenomenon - a character that children will love and adore.

His new role as a global ambassador will help make the values that he represents more appealing to children.