Artists create giant map of KSA

Local artists here are creating an 8,000-square-meter map of Saudi Arabia to demonstrate their love for the country and to highlight environmental issues. The map will consist of the handprints of thousands of people and is also an attempt to break a Guinness world record.
The program is under way at the Ministry of Education playground. A total of 28,160 hands have already been printed on 1,760 square meters of cloth, with the help of 140 volunteers. Eighteen barrels of green paint have been used so far to complete 25 percent of the project.
This project was started by five artists, Nihar Marzooq, Nabil Tahir, Ahmed Najar and Tagreed Wazna under the supervision of Dina Al-Nhadi, the founder of the project. The aim is to make the world's largest map of Saudi Arabia with green handprints and break the Guinness world record.
“We also want to show our patriotism and love for our king. At the same time we want to show our responsibility towards the environment,” said Wazna.
Wazna told Arab News that they started this project two weeks ago and invited businesspeople, students and officials of the JCCI to put their handprints in green on the map.
“This map will be presented to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah as a gift from the youth, leaders, businessmen, businesswomen, and artists from Jeddah,” she explained.
Among those who have already dipped their hands into green paint and placed their prints on the map, include Prince Turki bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz, president of the Presidency of Meteorology and Environment (PME), Mazen Batterjee, vice president of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) and employees of the JCCI.
Batterjee said this project demonstrates the people's love for their country and king. “The loving people of Saudi Arabia will tell the world through this project just how much they love their country and king."
The map will likely be completed in the coming two weeks. Wazna said more than 300 students from schools and universities have already participated in the project.