InFocus | Dubai Shopping Festival
Are you a record breaker?
Here is your chance to enter the Guinness Book of World Records.
- By Catherine Rankin Harper, Feature Writer
- Published: 17:52 January 14, 2009
- Global Village has teamed up with Guinness World Records to offer visitors the opportunity to set new world records in a number of feats, such as most beads threaded, longest coin spin, and fastest typing using your nose
- Image Credit: Supplied Picture
Do you possess the novel ability to sort M&Ms with chopsticks at high speed? Or a knack with the board game Operation? Perhaps you have a particularly loud scream, or can send an SMS in record-breaking time? Then a trip to Global Village is in order for you, as the family entertainment park welcomes Guinness World Records and the world's first World Records Pavilion to Dubai.
Global Village has teamed up with Guinness World Records to offer visitors the opportunity to set new world records in a number of feats, such as most beads threaded, longest coin spin, and fastest typing using your nose. Practice attempts are possible before you take the plunge and go for a new record, supervised by trained attendants.
Abdul Redha Ali Bin Redha, CEO of Global Village, says; "Anybody can come and try to break a record, without having to plan it — they can just turn up. We have many different games for people to try, and we have had someone break a record every two or three days so far."
The first day of record-breaking resulted in a new world record, with the attempt staged to coincide with the fourth World Records International Day organised by Guinness.
Children from a Gems school took part in breaking the record for the most children being read to by the most adults in one location, with 3,032 children enjoying tales read to them by 87 adults. The park, which welcomes an average of 45,000 visitors a day, also has a number of other new attractions.
Younger visitors can meet their favourite characters such as Barney, Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine and Pingu at the Little Big Club, where the characters will pose with your family for souvenir photos while you choose from the wide selection of merchandise available.
World Cultural Stage
For those interested in the cultural events, the World Culture Stage will host daily programmes showcasing cultures from around the world, such as a Mexican mariachi band, a display of Chinese acrobatics and kung fu, and a Spanish flamenco dance group.
A spectacular Big Wheels show will take place each night from January 21, where acrobats will delight audiences by performing daring stunts high up between spinning wheels.
This year's oark will have 31 international pavilions featuring traditional merchandise of each country, from Yemeni honey to handmade Nepalese shawls. Favourites such as India and Pakistan return, alongside first-time participants Oman, Iraq and other countries. For the first time in the UAE, the Ministry of Social Affairs has established a pavilion at Global Village.
Forsaty — 'my chance' in Arabic — offers visitors the chance to browse and buy handicrafts made by disadvantaged women in the community, such as divorcées and widows. Bin Redha says, "It's their first time to open a store or start a business, and it's going very well."
To help visitors make their way around the park, gondola rides in specially built boats are available for Dh10 per person, with captains dressed in costumes reflecting the many cultures in Global Village.
The safety and wellbeing of the park's many visitors is paramount for Bin Redha and his team, with all rides and attractions being tested and certified prior to inclusion in the park.
Global Village receives full support from the government, and Civil Defence is in full-time attendance. As Bin Redha says, "Our priority is to take care of our visitors."
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