The UAE Glows Green To Celebrate Ireland’s National Day

The UAE’s most recognisable landmarks, including The Palm Fountain at The Pointe – the largest dancing fountains in the world – Dubai International Airport, Burj Khalifa, Dubai Frame, Burj Al Arab and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding light up in green to celebrate Ireland’s National Day on 17th March 2021. The Global Greening initiative sees the world go green to honour the day and aims to bring an element of Ireland to over 70 million people around the world with links to the island. Throughout the 12 years of Tourism Ireland’s Global Greenings initiative, the UAE has supported every year with landmarks lighting up in green hues for the occasion. This year a total of 23 landmarks are joining the initiative, a record breaking number for the UAE, with 13 all new additions to the line-up.

For the first time in the history of the Global Greenings, Ireland Pavilion at Expo Dubai, Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah Monorail, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding and the Address Beach Resort Dubai, among others are going green, alongside the impressive Palm Fountains hosting a dedicated Riverdance performance to mark the day. Lighting green once again are landmarks including Burj Al Arab, Dubai Frame, Abu Dhabi University, Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium and The Desert Greening with Arabian Adventures.

“It’s an honour to see so much support throughout the UAE for Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening initiative marking Ireland’s National Day. I personally want to thank everyone involved for making this happen in 2021. Through the simple act of greening we create a powerful wave of connectedness and hope linking communities across the world. The UAE is home to thousands of Irish diaspora and the UAE has helped give so many of them a sense of home on this day, especially at a time when many are geographically apart from family, friends and loved ones”, said Aisling McDermott, Tourism Ireland Manager Middle East & Asia.

Globally, famous attractions and sites around the world will also go green to mark St Patrick’s Day with a total of around 670 landmarks across 66 countries – a world record number. New for 2021 is the most northerly ‘greening’ in the world ever – a post-box at the summit of Øretoppen Mountain in Norway, 350 kms above the Arctic Circle.

Commenting on the 2021 Global Greenings, 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, 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 Irish people overseas cannot travel home, we want to shine a green light from 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.”

United Arab Emirates Greenings 2021

1. The Palm Fountain at The Pointe Palm Jumeirah, Dubai (new)
2. Ireland Pavilion at Expo Dubai (new)
3. Dubai International Airport (new)
4. Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding (new)
5. Address Beach Resort, Dubai (new)
6. Burj Al Arab, Dubai (10^th year joining Global Greening)
7. Dubai Frame
8. Abu Dhabi University, Abu Dhabi
9. Abu Dhabi University – Al Ain campus, Al Ain (new)
10. The Abu Dhabi EDITION, Abu Dhabi
11. Crowne Plaza Dubai – Festival City, Dubai (new)
12. Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Dubai
13. Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium, Dubai
14. Holiday Inn Dubai Festival City, Dubai (new)
15. InterContinental Dubai Festival City, Dubai
16. Palm Jumeirah Monorail, Dubai (new)
17. The Retreat Palm Dubai MGallery by Sofitel (new)
18. Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, Dubai (new)
19. W Dubai – The Palm, Dubai (new)
20. Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah, Ras Al Khaimah (new)
21. The Desert Greening with Arabian Adventures
22. Heritage Express
23. Burj Khalifa