St Patrick’s Day 2019: 10 world landmarks going green, from the Sydney Opera House to the Empire State Building

This year marks 10th anniversary of Tourism Ireland's 'Global Greening' campaign

Sabrina Barr
Sunday 17 March 2019 06:56 EDT
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Five things you didn't know about St Patrick's Day

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Every year on St Patrick's Day, the world becomes awash with green as millions commemorate the patron saint of Ireland.

The colour has been associated with the country for centuries: it is believed St Patrick used a green shamrock as a symbol of the Holy Trinity when preaching about Christianity in the fifth century.

Now, in celebration of St Patrick's Day on Sunday, numerous countries across the globe will light national landmarks in bright green,

They include Nelson's Column in London and the Colosseum in Rome.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Tourism Ireland's Global Greening campaign - an initiative aimed at encouraging nations around the world to join the celebrations, while enticing tourists to visit the emerald island.

"This is the 10th year of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative and each year I am delighted to see even more well-known attractions and landmark sites wishing to get involved and join our St Patrick’s celebrations," said CEO Niall Gibbons.

“People across the world instantly identify St Patrick’s Day with the island of Ireland and that heightened profile allows us to put the Ireland holiday experience in the spotlight."

Shane Ross, government minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, added that the green lighting of landmarks across the globe enables the country to "renew the strong bonds" it has with other countries.

For a full list of all the sites and buildings taking part in this year's Global Greening campaign, click here.

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For everything you need to know about St Patrick's Day, from where it came from to how it's celebrated, click here.

To discover how to celebrate St Patrick's Day like a local in Dublin, click here.

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