This work is highly relevant for Radio & Audio due to its innovative use of these mediums to deliver a calming and therapeutic experience directly into the homes of families, particularly those affected by conflict. By choosing to broadcast a scientifically backed lullaby on the radio, the project utilized a traditional and widely accessible medium in a novel way. Radio, a prevalent form of media in Syria, was transformed into a tool for creating a peaceful environment at bedtime for children, especially refugees.

It's crucial to understand the cultural context and the nuances of the Syrian environment where the lullaby initiative was implemented. The Syrian civil war, ongoing since March 2011, has significantly influenced the national psyche, especially impacting children. Many of these children, born into conflict, have been living in a continuous state of unrest and anxiety. The pervasive nature of war and its sounds, including propaganda and news coverage, have become a distressing part of their daily lives.

In this setting, the use of music, particularly a lullaby, holds special significance. Lullabies are a universal element of childhood, often associated with comfort, security, and a parent’s love. By creating a scientifically-backed lullaby, Babyshop tapped into this universal symbol of comfort. This was not just a creative choice but a culturally sensitive one, acknowledging the therapeutic power of music in soothing and calming the nervous system of children.

This is a unique scientifically backed Arabic lullaby, specifically created to reduce anxiety and calm the nervous system of children, particularly those affected or traumatized by war, in order to help them fall asleep peacefully.

The lullaby, written and performed by Syrian singer songwriter Ghaliaa Chaker, was composed working closely with a team of neuroscientist and music therapists from Spiritune. We collaborated with Chaker and these experts at every stage of the composition to ensure the lullaby follows a strict set of scientific principles in music, proven to calm the nerves of children and elicit peaceful sleep, including a gentle rhythm, simple melody, slow tempo, repetition, short intervals and numerous other aspects pertaining to voice and tone.

These principles have all been strictly adhered to in the composition to create the overall effect of a soothing and effective lullaby for all children, especially those who have experienced trauma.

Nearly five million children born in Syria since March 2011 have known nothing but war and conflict, and in many parts of the country, children and families continue to live in fear of violence, landmines, and explosive remnants of war. The sounds of war are heard all around them, from everyday conversations, to actual conflict and constant radio broadcasts featuring news of the war and propaganda.

Children living in these stressful and traumatic environments are denied the privilege of peaceful bedtimes, which has adverse effects on their sleep - leading to long-lasting mental health issues.

As a a brand that believes every child should have the best start in life, Babyshop a leading retailer for babies in the Middle East, decided to help by seeking a unique solution in order to to provide support and comfort to children suffering from trauma and help them get the sleep they deserve.

The lullaby intercepted radio listening time for adults with an effective piece of music for children, reminding adults that children are listening too.

By creating this scientifically backed song Babyshop gave families a lasting tool to soothe and calm the nerves of children affected by conflict, helping them get to sleep in a healthy way.

The lullaby played on Syria’s two largest radio stations every night from March 2023 onwards, reaching over 4 million radio listeners across Syria. It will continue to air as an ongoing initiative.

The initiative was amplified on TV news networks and publications across the world including Sky News, CNN, Euro News and more – reaching a total of 147,860,000 people.

The song was made permanently available for families on Anghami – the Middle East’s leading streaming platform – and a permanent radio station Frequencies of Peace FM, created to play the lullaby 24/7.

Close your eyes, those beautiful eyes.

You will see the stars shining just for you.

Let the stars tell you how much I love you, that I can't wait to see you all grown, that I'm waiting for this day to come.

Close your eyes, with jasmine leaves.

You will see the bird and its friends happy to see you

Let the bird tell you how much I love you, that I can't wait to see you all grown, and that I'm waiting for this day to come.

The innovative use of radio/audio in this project was exemplified by Babyshop's approach of transforming radio airwaves into a medium of peace and comfort. Recognizing the trauma inflicted by the constant war coverage and sounds in Syria, Babyshop strategically broadcast a scientifically-backed Arabic lullaby every night at bedtime. This initiative replaced the distressing sounds of war with soothing melodies, directly addressing the psychological needs of children affected by conflict.

The collaboration with neuroscientists and music therapists in creating the lullaby ensured its effectiveness in calming children's nervous systems. This innovative use of radio transcended its traditional role of news and entertainment, turning it into a therapeutic tool. It highlighted the potential of radio/audio mediums not just for information or entertainment, but as powerful instruments for social impact and emotional support in challenging environments like conflict zones.