Saudi textbook recalled due to photo of Yoda next to King Faisal

UPI ^ | 9/22 | Daniel Uria

[nickcarraway]

A social studies textbook in Saudi Arabia was recalled for including a photo depicting a Star Wars character next to a king.

The black and white photo, by Saudi artist Abdullah Al Shehri, features the small, green Jedi Yoda seated next to King Faisal as he signed the United Nations Charter in San Francisco in 1945.

Saudi education minister Ahmed al-Eissa apologized for the mistake and said measures were being taken to correct the error.

"The Education Ministry regrets unintentional error that appeared in the picture of the signing of the Charter of the United Nations Commission on social studies and national decision," he wrote. "The ministry has begun printing a corrected copy of the curriculum and withdrawing the previous copy and formed a legal committee to determine the source of the error and to take the proper measures."

Shehri, a 26-year-old artist who goes by the nickname Shaweesh, created the image as part of a series that inserts pop culture characters into historical photos and learned it had turned up in a textbook through a text from his mother.

"I am the one who designed it, but I am not the one who put it in the book," he told the New York Times.

Shehri said he decided to insert Yoda into the photo because he reminded him of King Faisal and is the same color as the Saudi flag.

"He was wise and was always strong in his speeches," he said. "So I found that Yoda was the closest character to the king. And also Yoda and his light saber -- it's all green."

[Last Dakotan]

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