Longest line of soft toys

The longest line of soft toys is 17,815 and was achieved by Evita Constantinou (Cyprus), in Limassol, Cyprus, on 2 June 2024.

A Guinness World Record attempt for the longest line of soft toys was organized in Limassol, Cyprus, with the dual purpose of promoting reuse and recycling while raising funds for Ronald McDonald's House of Charities Cyprus. The initiative, titled "Teddies from Home for The Home," aimed to collect unused soft toys from across Cyprus and Greece, sell them at low prices, and donate the proceeds to the charity. "I really wanted this to succeed—first for our donation and second because, as a writer of children's tales about reuse and recycling, I wanted to put my words into action," said Evita, the organizer.

The effort required 18 months of planning, securing permissions, and coordinating logistics, with the collection phase lasting five months. Volunteers, including Evita’s family, helped inspect, clean, and repair thousands of soft toys, ensuring they met Guinness World Records' qualifications. Any toys that did not fit the criteria were donated to kindergartens and underprivileged families.

The final event took place at Aetos Stadium in Limassol, where the community, local schools, and volunteers came together for a fair day featuring children's activities, kiosks, and entertainment. "The stadium was finally too small for our effort—we had collected almost 21,000 soft toys, but could only fit 17,815 in the record-breaking line," Evita stated. The counting process was meticulously documented with official witnesses, counters, and a media crew capturing every detail. "We kept the guidelines, and I am pretty sure we've got this record," she added.

Despite challenging weather conditions, the event was successfully completed, followed by celebrations and the distribution of diplomas to volunteers and supporters. In the months that followed, remaining soft toys were donated to hospitals, shelters, and charities, with ongoing efforts to send shipments to orphanages in Africa and India. "This journey spanned two years of my life—two years of volunteering filled with mental satisfaction, emotion, and countless touching stories. I hope our record helped in some way to support the incredible work of the charity."