Little Airplane Preps The Olive Branch for Delivery

NEW YORK: The short-form series The Olive Branch, which is set to debut on June 1 on Nick Jr. in the U.S., is being produced by Little Airplane Productions’ newly established non-profit, Little Light Foundation.

The series has been endorsed by the Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Simon Wiesenthal Center and UNICEF. The Desmond Tutu Peace Foundation is consultant on the series.

The Olive Branch, a series of 26 one-minute short films, is about two characters who live together in the branches of an olive tree. Though they are quite different, they are friends, and in each episode the two must find ways to resolve their differences and live together peacefully. The series is written and directed by Josh Selig.

The first three episodes will air exclusively for six months on Nick Jr. and on a non-exclusive basis on more than 100 Nickelodeon networks worldwide. KidsCo has also signed on to air all 26 episodes throughout the world on its various feeds. Little Airplane has taken the extra step to ensure that children in all countries can see The Olive Branch by offering the program to broadcasters for one unit of their own currency per episode. In order to help cover production costs, broadcasters can choose to make tax-deductible contributions to Little Light Foundation.

"After spending time working in the Middle East, I came to appreciate the enormous value of creating programming that fosters tolerance and mutual respect among children and adults," said Selig, the founder and president of Little Airplane Productions. "In order to reach the widest possible audience, we have designed The Olive Branch without words and have thereby eliminated the need for costly dubbing.  This, combined with a minimal license fee, should help ensure that even the poorest of nations can benefit from the important messages of this series."

“Television plays a key role in determining how children learn to perceive themselves and one another,” commented Archbishop Desmond Tutu. “The Olive Branch is a wonderful example of television that will make a positive contribution to the world. It will be understood and appreciated by children in every country.”