CHINA: Hundreds of mentally handicapped people and their families attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest footprint painting in Hong Kong

Record ID: 872641

  • Title: CHINA: Hundreds of mentally handicapped people and their families attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest footprint painting in Hong Kong
  • Date: 4th June 2012
  • Summary: FATHER OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED BOY, GARLFIELD LEE, WAITING IN QUEUE TO WASH FEET LEE'S SON (SOUNDBITE) (English) FATHER OF MENTALLY HANDICAPPED BOY, GARLFIELD LEE, SAYING: "You should be more activities, it's very, it's to the children know how lucky them (they are)." VARIOUS OF FEET MAKING FOOTPRINTS MENTALLY HANDICAPPED BOY BEING HELPED TO MAKE FOOTPRINTS
  • Embargoed: 19th June 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Hong Kong, China
  • City:
  • Country: Hong Kong
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
  • Reuters ID: LVA9MU90JBE6999ROVANSCQ4SP3Y
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Hundreds of mentally handicapped people and their families and carers attempted to break the Guinness World Record for the largest footprint artwork in Hong Kong on Sunday (June 3) on a canvass that covers the size of two basketball courts.
    The more than 1,684 square metres, landscape painting called 'Mark My Heartprint' hopes to beat the previous record of 1,489 square metres set in the UK last year. The Guinness World Records office has told organisers that they would need some time to verify the claim to ensure all criteria had been met.
    The project was the brainchild of the charity Loving Power and IN56, a 15-member group of independent community leaders.
    IN56 external communications officer, Elaine Tung, who helped organise the event, said that 'Mark My Heartprint' strives to build confidence and raise awareness for individuals with mental handicaps in Hong Kong who have typically been given less attention and resources than other minorities.
    "And I think a lot of the time people will think about senior people and kids and child. So we spoke to some social workers and one thing that we realised is that in Hong Kong there is not enough of these kind of activities for mentally disabled individuals. That is why we organized this event today, to serve this purpose," she said.
    Garlfield Lee, who attended with his mentally handicapped son, said that it was a great opportunity to socialise and said that Hong Kong needed more events like this one to show people with disabilities that they are also valued.
    "You should be more activities, it's very, it's to the children know how lucky them (they are)," he said.
    Twenty-four-year-old Karen Kiuian, who has learning difficulties, said she loved mingling with the participants and volunteers and that is was for a good cause.
    "It's very good event and help different people," she said.
    The painting took roughly two hours to complete.
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