UNITED NATIONS, June 15 (KUNA) -- Students from UNRWA school in Gaza put together from recycled parts a Formula 1-style car to enter the Formula Student auto race in the UK in "a demonstration of determination and creativity" despite the four-year old Israeli blockade on the Strip, it was announced here on Wednesday.
After weeks of moulding, sanding, and painting, a group of students in the Khan Younis Training Centre (KYTC), run by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), and their teacher ran an official test drive of their car earlier today.
Their aim is to travel to the Silverstone circuit in the UK next month to participate in this year's Formula Student contest, which challenges youngsters from around the world to design, build and race a single-seat racing car from scratch.
The contest, to be held from 14-17 July, serves as a talent-nurturing and recruitment event for companies such as Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz and Shell.
The team, however, is urgently seeking funding to ship their car and travel to the UK.
Osama Al Othmani, the students' team leader, was quoted as saying "we are challenging all the pressures here, and the blockade. We want to prove to the world that even if we are living on nothing, we can still create something from it! The last thing we will do is to stick the label 'made in Gaza'". (end) sj.gb KUNA 160021 Jun 11NNNN