Biden Administration Authorized $20 Million for Creation of 'Sesame Street' In Iraq to 'Promote Inclusion'

The Biden administration has authorized $20 million in taxpayer dollars to create a Sesame Street show in Iraq in an effort to “promote inclusion.”

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the Biden administration, has partnered “with Sesame Workshop to produce Ahlan Simsim Iraq, a program designed to promote inclusion, mutual respect, and understanding across ethnic, religious, and sectarian groups,” the agency said.

The partnership’s “life of activity” began in July 2021, and is set to conclude in June 2027.

“Leveraging the popularity of the Arabic Sesame Workshop show, Ahlan Simsim Iraq produces culturally tailored and age-appropriate original educational media content for young children,” USAID said of the partnership’s goals.

“Ahlan Simsim Iraq also provides tools for caregivers and teachers to promote equitable early learning and training opportunities to Iraqi youth in audiovisual production and storytelling to increase their meaningful participation in community dialogue,” the agency added.

USAID seemed to attempt to justify its partnership with Sesame Workshop by suggesting that Iraqi youth are at risk of becoming radicalized if they are not exposed to Sesame Street-related content.

“Iraqi youth, who make up over half of the population, are unable to find jobs in an economy strained by war and corruption, creating vulnerabilities to radicalization,” USAID said of its overview about the partnership.

The “impact” that is been made with the use of $20 million in U.S. taxpayer dollars includes training more than 10,000 Iraqi children to “cultivate social and emotional learning skills and an appreciation for their identity and the diversity of Iraqi society,” as well as training “more than 480 youth in soft skills, 460 in filmmaking, and 310 in basic foundational skills,” USAID said.

The funds have also been used toward conducting “an awareness campaign in five schools in Kirkuk Governorate to raise awareness of climate change and desertification among Iraqi youth,” the agency noted.

This revelation arrives amid the release of Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-KY) annual Festivus waste report, which found that the government has wasted $10 billion maintaining, leasing, and furnishing empty buildings.

As Breitbart News reported, the incoming Trump administration is seeking to implement the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by X owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, in an effort to slash government waste.

Last month, the soon-to-be-formed DOGE shared examples of obscene government waste so that Americans can have some clear examples of what needs to be cut.

Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.