On the 25th of November 2007 the largest flag with a total area of 18,843 m² (202,823.55 ft²) was unfurled at Masada Airfield, Israel organised by Sar-El Tours. The location was chosen very carefully - between two other record locations: the Dead Sea on the Israel-Jordan border (the lowest exposed body of water on Earth, at 400 m (1,312 ft) below sea level) and Masada, where, according to the historian Flavius Josephues (c.37-100), some 960 Jewish zealots committed suicide by cutting each others' throats during a siege by the Romans in AD 73, thus resulting in the largest mass suicide of ancient times.
The flag was created at the initiative and financing of Sister Grace Galindez-Gupana, a Philippine business woman and ardent supporter of Israel, to honour 50 years of friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines after the idea was conceived 2.5 years ago. Sister Grace, who has been working for many years to promote tourism between the two countries, decided to make two flags of equal size – one each of Israel and the Philippines.
The flag, which weighs 5,200 kg (11,464 lb), was sown over the course of three months by six professional sewers, all under the direction of two designers, and requiring the help of 40 volunteers.
Sister Grace, who arrived in Israel accompanied by several journalists from the Philippines, said: "The flag is my way of showing my love and support for the State of Israel and its citizens, and I hope that in this way I can also promote tourism to Israel."
The Ministry of Tourism, together with the Parks and Nature Authority, will integrate the flag into events planned for the 60th year of Independence, in order to promote both internal and incoming tourism. The Ministry has also received many external requests from different parties who are interested in using the flag in their various events.
05 December 2007
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