More than 16,000 people are expected to gather at the Creek Park next week in an effort to create the world's largest human national flag.

And those whose name begins with Mohammad will join to create another world record the largest same name (Mohammad) gathering. All this is part of Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF) activities.

Last year, 15 people laboured for five days to build the world's largest shopping trolley, measuring 639 centimetres in length, 250 centimetres in breadth and 900 centimetres in height.

Constructed by Century Mall, the two-tonne trolley was made of 1,800 kilos of steel rods and was displayed outside the mall during the last DSF.

Since it was a fully functional and moveable trolley, four three-tonne pick-up tyres were installed on it.

The beauty of these world record attempts is that they are sponsored by various private sector enterprises to generate excitement among visitors during the DSF.

Dubai, the city of superlatives, is known, among many other things, for creating fascinating world records.

Records are meant to be broken. But most of the world records created by Dubai as part of the DSF are still intact.

Since its inception, the DSF has created a number of world records, most of which have made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. It will possibly feature once again in the Guinness Book for a slew of new feats, according to officials.

Earlier, the city successfully bid for the world's longest cake, largest apple pie, largest baba-ghanoosh (an Arab dish made of chickpeas and aubergine), the largest biryani bowls, and the largest chocolate bar, among many others. Last year, the DSF attempted to create the world's largest calendar, largest basket, largest paper clip, largest photo mosaic of babies, largest newspaper ball apart from the world's largest shopping trolley and the world's largest khandura.

"At the rate that Dubai sets these world records, it could easily hold the record as the venue with the highest number of world records. Perhaps [it may] feature in Ripley's Believe it Or Not for creating the highest number of world records", said a long-term resident of Dubai.

This year, in keeping with the milestone 10th anniversary celebrations, the DSF is looking forward to involving the people of Dubai to be part of these attempts to break previous records and set the bar higher for all.

On February 10, the DSF will host the Dubai World Records Venture Day 2005 to create five new world records Largest Human National Flag, Largest Same Name (Mohammad) Gathering, Fastest Pizza Eating Attempts, Largest Charity Box and The Largest Can Mosaic Display.

"Schools, universities, the private sector, charity organisations, Government departments, residents and tourists can come forward to participate in the Dubai World Records Venture Day 2005 taking place at Creek Park, gate nos 1 and 2 from 10am to 8pm," said an official.

"The day will start of with the Largest Human National Flag formation attempt followed by four other record entries the Largest Same Name (Mohammad) Gathering, Fastest Pizza Eating Attempts by Little Ceasar's, Largest Charity Box sponsored by Nokia and manufactured by Eureka, and the Largest Can Mosaic Display sponsored by Pepsi and produced by Happening on Al Seef Street."

The Dubai Education Zone is coordinating with all the schools for the various events. Little Ceasar's is providing its famous delicacy 'crazy bread' as refreshments to all the students who will also get a chance to participate in the Fastest Pizza Eating Attempt

For the Largest Human National Flag formation, 16,200 students will gather wearing the appropriate coloured caps and T-shirts to form the National flag of UAE. Head count of the participants will be taken before the event's commencement.

The dimensions of the flag will be considered so areas to stand in will be chalked out for the convenience of the participants.

Formation

The formation must be such that it can be easily recognised aerially. Once the participants have settled in place, images will be taken to register the feat with the Guinness Book representatives, VIPs and the media.

The entire event, running between 9am and noon, will be witnessed by two independent adjudicators. Signed witness statements declaring the exact details of the event will be submitted to the Guinness Book authorities along with the images.

The current record for the world's largest human flag comprises of 10,371 spectators who formed the German flag in the south grandstand at the Scotland vs Germany European Championships qualifying football match in the Westfalenstadion, Dortmund, Germany on September 10, 2003.