NBA Superstar and UNICEF Spain Ambassador Pau Gasol delivered a video message to children in Gaza recently, throwing his support behind their attempt to shatter the current Guinness World Record in dribbling basketballs.
The record-breaking attempt was part of the annual “Summer Games” organized by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) involving a quarter of a million children across the Gaza Strip.
“Today, against incredible odds, you — the children of Gaza — will break the previous Guinness World Record for the most basketballs dribbled at the same time,” Gasol said. “In doing so, you send a powerful message to the world that your hopes and dreams are as real as every other child’s, and that if given the chance, you can achieve the impossible. I believe you can achieve your dreams — and I say — Go for it!”
Over 7,500 children practiced for weeks to break the current world record for simultaneously bouncing basket balls, which was set in Indiana, USA, in September 2007. The number of balls bounced was just over three thousand.
Facilities for the Summer Games have been vandalized twice in recent weeks by unknown assailants, drawing strong condemnation from the UN Secretary General, who also transmitted a video message in support of the record-breaking attempt.
