Today (Tuesday March 17) marks Ireland’s National Day (Happy St. Patrick’s Day!) and to honour the special occasion, iconic spots around the UAE lit up and stood tall in green last night.
To mark Tourism Ireland’s tenth year of ‘Global Greening’, ten national landmarks lit up in hues of green, including, for the first time ever, the expansive dunes of the Arabian Desert.
Organised by Arabian Adventures, the dunes turned from sandy brown to green overnight, while other landmarks also lit up, including the Dubai Frame, Kempinski Emerald Palace and Abu Dhabi University.
That’s not all, as Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa went completely green for the second time, while recurring landmarks Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Intercontinental Abu Dhabi, Dubai Creek Golf and Yacht Club and Nation Towers also joined in the celebrations.
“The UAE is Ireland’s second largest market in the Arab world and has been the fastest growing emerging market, showing a year-on-year increase in visitors over the past five years,” said Tourism Ireland Manager, Middle East and Asia Aisling McDermott.
“It is also home to more than 10,000 Ireland nationals who are delighted to enjoy a ‘piece of home’ in the country that we all call home.”
“Global Greening is an expression of solidarity with our tourism industry partners and we are thinking about them across the world,” said CEO of Tourism Ireland Niall Gibbons.
“Tourism Ireland will continue to spread the Ireland message around the world, reminding people everywhere about our wonderful scenery, our rich heritage and culture and, above all, our welcoming and friendly people. We will be ready to roll out an extensive kick-start programme to restart the year when the time is right and we’ll be working flat out to restore as much business as we possibly can for our tourism industry partners.”
Looking to celebrate St Patrick’s Day with a movie at home in Dubai or Abu Dhabi? Click here for our pick of the best Irish films.
