Palestine entry wins UN poster competition

Palestine has been selected as a winner in a poster competition conducted by the United Nations world tourism organization's biannual Vettor Giusti Prizes. UNWTO's secretary-general Taleb Rifai announced Palestine's win over Saudi Arabia for the Mideast region during a session of the organization's General Assembly in late October. The winning poster depicts Jericho's St. George Orthodox Monastery in Wadi Qelt, a West Bank oasis that is also home to one of the oldest synagogues. George is considered the patron saint of Palestine. Palestinian Authority minister of tourism Khuloud Deibis said she was pleased with the achievement. She expressed hope it would shine a spotlight on tourism in Palestine and in Jericho in particular. The posters competition is held every two years on the occasion of the sessions of the UNWTO General Assembly, to showcase the posters used to promote tourism around the world. UN member countries submit one entry per region. In the Middle East, Palestine and Saudi Arabia submitted entries, according to a 2011 competition list on the Vettor Giusti Prizes website.