Gaza kids eye kite - flying world record

«Ελπίζουμε να ελευθερωθούμε σαν τους χαρταετούς»

Περισσότερα από 5.000 παιδιά, συγκεντρώθηκαν στην παραλία Beit Lahiya της Γάζας, αυτή την εβδομάδα, προκειμένου να σπάσουν ένα παγκόσμιο ρεκόρ... αυτό του ταυτόχρονου πετάγματος χαρταετών.

Η εκδήλωση έγινε στο πλαίσιο, των καλοκαιρινών κατασκηνώσεων της Υπηρεσίας Αρωγής του ΟΗΕ για τους Παλαιστινίους με στόχο να «γεννήσει» εκ νέου την ελπίδα στις καρδιές των μικρών Παλαιστινίων, για μια κανονική κι ελεύθερη ζωή στον «πληγωμένο» από τον πόλεμο τόπο τους.

«Είμαστε χαρούμενοι που ήρθαμε εδώ, γεμάτοι ζωή», είπε ένας 11χρονος. «Ελπίζουμε να ελευθερωθούμε και να μπορούμε να απολαμβάνουμε την ίδια ελευθερία που απολαμβάνουν οι χαρταετοί στον ουρανό. Το μόνο που θέλουμε είναι να μεγαλώσουμε σαν κανονικά παιδιά», πρόσθεσε.

Πολλοί από τους χαρταετούς είχαν τα χρώματα της παλαιστινιακής σημαίας, ενώ σε άλλους αναγράφονταν συνθήματα όπως το «Τέλος στην άδικη πολιορκία».

«Είναι μια έκφραση της απαίτησης που έχουν αυτά τα παιδιά για ελευθερία. Κοιτάξτε τι μπορούν να κάνουν τα παιδιά της Γάζας αν τους δοθεί η ευκαιρία», δήλωσε ο επικεφαλής της Υπηρεσίας Αρωγής του ΟΗΕ για τους Παλαιστινίους John Ging.

Τώρα, το μόνο που απομένει είναι να αναγνωριστεί και επίσημα το ρεκόρ.

Δημοσίευση: 01-08-2009 11:12 από Ομάδα TVXS

Gaza Children Break World Record on Most Kites Flown

Gaza children have a reason to smile at last | Photo 02

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Some 5,000 children from the Gaza Strip have broken the world record on the number of kites flown at the same time. The activity is part of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency's (UNRWA) Summer Games programme, which provides a little fun to nearly 250,000 kids in Gaza during their vacations.

The event took place on a beach near Beit Lahiya, north of the Al Waha Centre. The Guinness Book of World Records couldn't attend the event due to warnings against traveling to the Gaza Strip, so the activity was supervised by independent observers. UNRWA says there were some 4,000 kites flown, which would easily break the past 713 flown-kites world record.

But beyond any world record, the children of Gaza, who have been witnesses to the worst of crimes against humanity, are finally enjoying some moments of laughter and joy. They and their families have been under an Israeli-imposed siege for three years now, which has left Gaza in extreme poverty, alienation and complete lack of food, water and medical supplies.

Worse than that, Gaza children witnessed the death of over 300 of their peers less than seven months ago. On December 27, 2008 and without a warning, Israeli forces began a bombing campaign on the Gaza Strip, under codenamed operation "Cast Lead", aiming to end rocket attacks by armed groups affiliated with Hamas.

However, many organizations including the United Nations denounced war crimes being commited by Israel. The disproportionate attacks, use of white phosphorus and collective punishment violated fundamental provisions of international humanitarian law, and by the end of the war on Gaza, on January 18, over 1,400 Palestinians had been murdered, including hundreds of unarmed civilians.

This is why the kite-flying event has a more powerful meaning. Just as the UNRWA spokesperson told AlJazeera,

uploaded by Arbol

"There is a glorious symbolism about thousands of children in the world's most locked down community heading to the beach with beautiful kites they have created themselves and showing the world that they are able to have fun like kids anywhere and indeed, be number one in the world," Chris Gunness, the UNRWA spokesperson, said.

"Thousands of kites, soaring skyward with kids gazing upward allowing their thoughts to rise up from the grind they confront on the ground: it is a symbol of the quest for happiness, freedom and human fulfillment," he added."

Al-Jazeera's note ends by stating that, "The event's organizers say they have succeeded in inspiring the children of Gaza to gaze into the skies above, whether the Guinness record is shattered or not.

So as Gaza’s blue skies turned into an array of coloured paper kites, the sounds of children laughing and paper flapping served as reminder to the youth of Gaza that they, too, can be among the world's best despite the odds."