It might be an overused concept yet human beings really can, at times, achieve the impossible. Every year, astounding world records are broken and the MENA region is no exception. With this list of Arab feats, you’ll witness the impressive, the shocking and the downright absurd.
1. The Man Who Managed To Make An Egg Tower
Have you ever tried to stack one egg atop another? It may sound easy yet it’s harder than one can imagine. More often than not, you’ll instead end up with a pool of raw egg and broken shells. As the eggs have a unique shape, it is very hard to balance them on any flat surface. Now imagine stacking not one but four eggs on top of each other. This complicated feat was accomplished by Yemen’s Muhammed Muqbel on Dec 25th 2021 when he broke the record by making the largest egg stack in the world. From his childhood, Muhammed would test his limits by attempting to balance a wide range of objects, a skill intrinsic in him from a young age.
2. The Man Who Reached New Depths
Usually, on average, the maximum depth a scuba diver can attempt is 40 meters. The deeper one dives, the faster the depletion of air. This leads to shorter dive times as well as the added risk of Oxygen Narcosis, lung damage due to breathing in too much extra Oxygen. That is why it is considered an extremely impressive feat when a diver dramatically exceeds that limit. On 18 September 2014, a seasoned Egyptian diver by the name of Ahmed Gabr shocked the entire diving community when he dove a staggering 332.35 meters in the Red Sea. To perform such a dive, he required 4 years of physical and mental training as well as a team of thirty people including technicians and nine divers.
3. The Country That Made the Largest LED Screen
Within an innovative landscape like the UAE’s 2020 Expo, it makes sense that multiple World records were smashed. Saudi Arabia managed to be one of the record breakers during the 6-month event. Its most impressive record set on 20 December 2020 was that of the 1302.5 m² LED mirror screen display, considered the largest in the world. Balanced at a 45 degree angle, the screen showcases an interactive display of the Kingdom’s journey from past to present. The screen is also considered to be green friendly as more than 30 percent of the materials used to make the structure were considered sustainable.
4. The Man Who Swam and Swam and Swam
On the 18th of September 2018, just coming out of a surgery, a 66 year old Tunisian man by the name of Nejib Belhedi did the impossible. Two days before, facing the open Mediterranean sea, he took the plunge and began his journey. Swimming non-stop between Tunisia’s Sfax and Djebra, Nejib made history as he journeyed for 120 kilometers in a span of 76 hours and 30 minutes. His ambitious marathon smashed the world record for the longest duration open sea swim.
5. The Woman Who Endured Way Too Many Interviews
Lebanon’s Dalia Freyfer is a real trouper. She is someone who never lets anything get in the way of her dreams. After losing her eyesight at the age of 18, Dalia set out to push her limits and achieve the impossible. Other than hosting her own television program and writing her own religious hymns, her most impressive feat happened on 28 January 2017. Live on Télé Liban, Dalia managed to remain on air for 12 hours and conducted a staggering total of 43 interviews.
6. The Day 114 Nationalities Simultaneously Did A Downward Dog
Whether its aerial or hot yoga, this physical activity is packed with health benefits. Its also very popular. That is why it comes as no surprise that on 25 March 2022, more than one hundred people from around the world came together to stretch their limbs and lower down into a downward dog position. At Qatar’s Indian Sports Centre, 114 different nationalities including Afghanistan and Hungary, gathered together to practice yoga. A new record was set of the most nationalities in a yoga class.
7. The Country That Made A Giant Version of An Arab Classic Dish
The falafel, the famous fried mashed chickpea ball, is known to be a fan favorite among the MENA region’s Arabs. That is why it is exciting to discuss the super-sized record that was smashed by Jordan. On 31 May 2019, a group of chefs at Hilton Dead Sea Resort and Spa, came together and took 45 minutes to make the biggest falafel ball in the world. The result was a crispy, enormous ball of falafel, weighing 101.5 kg.
8. The Day The Largest Number of People Washed Dishes Together
Yes, you read that right. During the night of 16 June 2017, an evening called “Tahla Lemma” which translates to the joy of meeting was held were a total of 1000 meals were served to orphans, the elderly as well as university students during Iftar. On that same day, 412 Algerian women came together to wash dishes at the same time, setting the world record for the largest number of people washing dishes together.
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