In March 2002, American news institutions such as Reuters and the Associated Press (AP) reported that a new toy line has been introduced in Iran: Dara and Sara.
Dara and Sara are 12-inch dolls portraying a set of young twins, brother (Dara) and sister (Sara). These dolls feature traditional Iranian clothing and were created in the hopes of promoting Iranian values in children.
In particular, these dolls were created to oust Barbie and other fashion dolls from the hearts of Iranian children. Even the most conservative outfit on a western fashion doll is still far from the norm of Iranian fashions - Dara and Sara are dressed as Iranian children dress, rather than how the idealized Western woman dresses. (With the added bonus that their clothing cannot be removed as can Barbie's.) There are two versions of Dara and four of Sara, each with a different outfit.
The group behind the introduction of Dara and Sara is the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults, which is part of a government agency in Iran. In addition to the dolls, there are story books and cassette tapes which feature the Dara and Sara characters.
To see the dolls, visit DaraAndSara.com.
