GAZA GAMES / WORLD RECORD

More than 3,000 students in Gaza today smashed the first of what they hope to be four world records by "flying" dozens of parachutes as part of the ‘Summer Games', which include sports, arts and other activities - to provide a recreational outlet for an estimated 250,000 children in the Gaza Strip. UNWRA

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:01:57
• Production Date: 30 June 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST - UNRWA
• Subject Topical: LEISURE; SPORTS
• Geographic Subject: MIDDLE EAST
• MAMS Id: U110630f

Description

STORY: GAZA GAMES / WORLD RECORD
TRT: 1.57
SOURCE: UNRWA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ARABIC / ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 30 JUNE 2011, GAZA

Shotlist

1. Various shot, cue of girls walking into the filed
2. Med shot, cue of boys entering the field and other children sitting on the ground with parachutes lying on the ground
3. Various shots, young girls
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) young girl:
“I'm very happy to participate at the parachutes record attempt and being at the top of the world.”
5. Med shot, children cheering
6. Med shot, parachute being lifted by girls
7. Pan left, from woman taking picture to boys posing
8. Med shot, girls about to lift parachute
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Christopher Gunness, Spokesman, United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East:
“This blockade has become a blockade against childhood itself with UNRWA struggling to build one hundred new schools for these and other children in the next three years. This event demonstrates exactly what they can achieve if given the chance. We appeal again to Israel to lift this blockade which is a collective punishment against 1.5 million people, more than half of whom are children”.
10. Various shots, groups of girls and boys lifting parachute
11. Wide shot, aerial view of groups of girls and boys lifting parachute
12. Various shots, woman walking around the groups

Storyline

There was a sense of mounting anticipation among thousands of children mainly from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) schools today (30 June) in the Gaza Stip, as over three thousand gathered in the Khan Younis stadium in the south of Gaza to smash the existing record for parachute flying.

SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Young girl:
“I'm very happy to participate at the parachutes record attempt and being at the top

The world record attempt comes as the world spotlight focuses on Gaza with the expected arrival in the region of a “Gaza Flotilla” of humanitarian and other aid, highlighting once more Israel’s blockade of the tiny strip of land.

SOUNDBITE (English) Christopher Gunness, Spokesperson, UNRWA:
“This blockade has become a blockade against childhood itself with UNRWA struggling to build one hundred new schools for these and other children in the next three years. This event demonstrates exactly what they can achieve if given the chance. We appeal again to Israel to lift this blockade which is a collective punishment against 1.5 million people, more than half of whom are children.”

Then the moment came for the world record itself, with over 170 parachutes lifting into the air. It was a huge and awe inspiring effort.

There was elation among the children. It was their fourth world record in just three years. They were once more on top of the world and they have three more world records to smash later in this year’s Summer Games.