DURHAM, N.C. -- Many people took a stroll down Sesame Street on Wednesday.

Duke University's Center for Child and Family Policy and the Hart Leadership Program welcomed Gary Knell, the president and CEO of Sesame Workshop.

Knell spoke at the Sanford Institute of Public Policy in a program called “Muppet Diplomacy: How Sesame Street is Changing Our World.” He talked about how the television show addressed current social issues in kids' lives and provided teachers another outlet to help students learn.

“The Electric Company is coming back and in a new version, we will have hip-hop kind of culture promoting literacy,” Knell said. “The literacy crisis in this country is still huge.”

Sesame Workshop began 40 years ago at the Children's Television Workshop. The workshop now produces more than 30 international co-productions of Sesame Street.