Global Greening 2021
Sydney Opera House will light up green on 17 March
The Sydney Opera House will join Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening once again this year, to mark St Patrick’s Day. The Global Greening initiative first began 11 years ago in Australia, when the iconic opera house was illuminated in green on 17 March 2010.
Tourism Ireland has announced details of some of the famous attractions and sites around the world which will go green to mark St Patrick’s Day. New for 2021 is the most northerly ‘greening’ in the world ever – a postbox at the summit of Øretoppen Mountain in Norway, 350 km above the Arctic Circle!
Other new sites taking part include Gwrych Castle in Wales, the filming location for the most recent series of reality TV show I'm A Celebrity ... Get Me Out Of Here; the largest fountain in the world, The Palm Fountain in Dubai; the tallest building in South America, the Torre Costanera in Chile; Bled Castle in Slovenia; Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier in California; BC Place in Vancouver; the Sekenani Gate at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya; and Villa E-1027 in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin in France, which was designed and built by Irish architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray.
These new sites will join some ‘old favourites’ which have gone green in previous years – including the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls, the ‘Welcome’ sign in Las Vegas, the London Eye, the Sky Tower in Auckland, the Prince’s Palace of Monaco, the Cibeles Fountain in Madrid and many others.
Economy Minister Diane Dodds said: “Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening campaign has been a continued success for marketing St Patricks Day across the world. Despite the impact, the pandemic has had on tourism, not only here in Northern Ireland but across the world, it’s heartening to see so many of the famous attractions taking part in this initiative. The extensive programme of promotions to be rolled out alongside the Global Greening campaign will ensure Northern Ireland is kept in front of mind with those wishing to travel here when the time is right.”
Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, said: “2021 marks the 12th year of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative and each year I am delighted to see so many attractions and landmark sites wishing to get involved and to mark St Patrick’s Day. More than 70 million people around the world claim links to the island of Ireland and St Patrick’s Day is a truly unique opportunity to reconnect them with their heritage. This year, in particular, we aim to bring some positivity and hope to our Diaspora across the globe. At a time when people living overseas cannot travel home, we want to shine a green light in as many locations around the world as possible, giving our Diaspora a sense of connection with home and reminding them that we cannot wait to welcome them back, as soon as it is possible to do so.
“The success of our Global Greening initiative is due in no small part to the great work that has been carried out across the world by our Diaspora. The eagerness of cities and countries everywhere to take part, despite the current unprecedented challenges, underlines the strength of the deep connection that people all over the world feel to the island of Ireland.”
