GAZA / SUMMER GAMES ATTACK

The UN agency for Palestinian Refugees said that ten men attacked and vandalised its Summer Games site in north-west Gaza. The attackers damaged a large billboard, burnt a UN flag and torched part of the stage. None of the UN security personnel at the venue was harmed. Despite the attack, children broke the kite flying world record today. UNRWA

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:37
• Production Date: 28 July 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: U110728a

Description

STORY: GAZA / SUMMER GAMES ATTACK
TRT: 2:37
SOURCE: UNRWA
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH / ARABIC / NATS

DATELINE: 28 JULY 2011, GAZA

Shotlist

1. Various shots, damage to the facility in al Waha
2. Various shots, children arriving
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Christer Nordahl, Acting Director, United Nations Works and Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees:
“The children of Gaza are taking on the might of China today. It’s an enormous feat to do that. But the children have already proven three times that they are the best in the world. They have broken three world records and today I’m very sure they will break the fourth world record and it will be made in Gaza, made in Palestine rather made in China.”
4. Various shots, children arriving
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Chris Gunness, Spokesman, United Nations Works and Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees:
“The kids of Gaza are caught between extremism as we saw on this attack against the Summer Games facility and the Israeli blockade which, of course, is illegal. They depoliticized space, they need the blockade to be lifted because if you lift the blockade, if you put your trust in the kids of Gaza, they will never disappoint you. They will always be number one in the world.”
5. Various shots, children flying their kites
6. Various shots, thousands of kites in the air
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Christer Nordahl, Acting Director, United Nations Works and Relief Agency for Palestinian Refugees:
“Now we know the children of Gaza have broken the world record. They are better than China and the best in the world.
8. Wide shot, kite flying

Storyline

In the dead of night on the eve of the world record attempt, ten militants attacked the United Nations (UN) Summer Games facility burning a UN flag, setting light to a large billboard and torching the stage.

In a written statement, the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said “we call on the authorities in Gaza to investigate and bring those responsible to account.”

The attack follows two attacks last year on UNRWA Summer Games facilities and it drew swift and robust condemnation from the UN.

Later today, unintimidated and unbowed, some 15,000 children arrived for their moment of world record glory. This comes after they broke three world records in the past several weeks – the highest number flying parachutes from the ground, the largest number of people dribbling footballs and creating the largest ever hand painting.

Speaking before the event, which took place at El-Waha, UNRWA acting Director, Christer Nordahl, was confident the children could do it saying “I’m very sure they will break the fourth world record and it will be made in Gaza, made in Palestine rather made in China.”

In April this year, the Kite Association of Weifang Binhai Economic Technological Development Area in China broke the record set last year by the children of Gaza during Summer Games, by flying simultaneously 10,465 kites.

Not to be done down, the children of Gaza bounced back outdoing the Chinese record by more than 4,500 kites.

UNRWA’s Spokesperson Chris Gunness said “if you put your trust in the kids of Gaza, they will never disappoint you. They will always be number one in the world.”

This is the fifth year that UNRWA has organized the Summer Games – which include sports, arts and other activities – to provide a recreational outlet for an estimated 250,000 children in Gaza. This year’s games coincide with the fifth year of the Israeli blockade of Gaza.