The Guinness World Record for the world’s largest hot air balloon glow show was broken in Saudi Arabia last week.
As part of AlUla Moments, the new record set on March 1 featured a show of 142 brightly-lit hot air balloons taking to the skies near Hegra.
"The project aimed to position AlUla as an international destination for hot air balloons and increase AlUla’s awareness globally as a tourist destination for unique adventurous experiences while diversifying the economic benefits for the local community from adventure travel and tourism sector the area can host," Guinness World Records has said of the feat, on its website.
The colourful display took place in the Unesco World Heritage Site in the early hours of the morning. It marked the Royal Commission for AlUla and Saudi Arabian Ballooning Federation's announcement that AlUla has been named the "the capital city of hot air ballooning activities" in Saudi Arabia.
The glow show was part of AlUla Skies, a new festival which includes sunrise and sunset hot air balloon experiences that feature around 150 balloons floating over the ancient site daily.
The record was previously set in AlUla in 2019 with a show of 100 hot air balloons during the Winter at Tantora festival.
Of the 2019 record, Amr AlMadani, chief executive of the Royal Commission for AlUla, and president of the ballooning federation, told Guinness World Records: "This was a magical occasion as 100 balloons lit up the skies of AlUla and we are enormously proud to have been recognised by Guinness World Records for this achievement."
This is not the only Guinness World Record to have been broken in AlUla. Reflective art space and concert hall Maraya holds the record for being the world's largest mirrored building, thanks to its facade made of 9,740 square metres of mirrors.
The AlUla Moments winter events calendar is designed to offer engaging, authentic arts, music and cultural experiences inspired by the land of civilisations. The events continue with AlUla Wellness and AlUla Arts festivals running until the end of March 2022.
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Started: April 2017
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Sector: transport
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Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
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Date started: January, 2014
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You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
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Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
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