The largest flag in the world - an Israeli flag the size of two football stadiums - has arrived in Israel this week and will be presented at a ceremony in honor of 50 years of friendly relations between Israel and the Philippines.
Two flags of identical size, one Israeli and one Philippine, will be measured by representatives of the Guinness Book of Records, who are anticipated to declare them the "largest flag in the world."
The flags will be rolled out at a festive ceremony on Sunday at the Massada airfield near the Dead Sea in the presence of the Director General of the Ministry of Tourism, Mr. Shaul Zemach, the donor of the flag, Philippine businesswoman Grace Galindez-Gupana, and the Consul General of the Philippines.
The Israeli and Philippine flags will be rolled out by tens of youth, residents of the Tamar regional council near Massada, and Philippine residents.
Sister Grace Galindez-Gupana, who initiated and financed the flags, has been promoting tourism between the two countries for years, and hopes that the flags will interest Israeli and Philippine citizens to visit each others' country.
Each flag was sown in the course of 3 weeks by six professional sewers under the direction of two designers and 40 volunteers, and weighs 5,200 kilos (11,000 lbs). Each flag is twice the size of the American "super flag" which holds the title at the moment as the largest flag in the world.
Minister of Tourism Yitzhak Aharonovich, stated: "The Israel flag is the Zionist symbol of independence of the people of Israel and the State of Israel, and I thank Sister Grace, who in this moving gesture is giving us the opportunity to take pride in our independence of 60 years. I hope that tourists from around the world will endeavor as Sister Grace is in advancing tourism between all peoples."
Next year, Israel celebrates its 60th year of Independence, and the flag will be integrated into events.