World celebrates luck of the Irish

Darryl McKenna, 5, pulls a face during Saint Patrick's Day celebrations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, March 17, 2004. REUTERS/Paul McErlane

Darryl McKenna, 5, pulls a face during Saint Patrick's Day celebrations in Belfast, Northern Ireland, March 17, 2004. REUTERS/Paul McErlane

Published Mar 16, 2012

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The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been announced as the latest landmark be turning green for St Patrick's Day.

The 56m high Italian attraction will join other sites in a “global greening” to mark Ireland's national day of celebration.

Last month, Tourism Ireland revealed Niagara Falls, the London Eye, Burj al Arab in Dubai and Table Mountain in South Africa would all be illuminated green as part of the international spectacle on March 17.

Since then, San Francisco's Coit Tower and City Hall, Selfridges department store in London, the Cibeles fountain in Madrid, an entire town on the Costa Blanca in Spain, Moraira, Vienna's Burgtheater and the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw have also come onboard.

Brussels Town Hall, the Glasgow Eye and the Clyde Auditorium - affectionately known as “the Armadillo” in Glasgow - will also turn green for the day on Saturday.

Irish Tourism Minister Leo Varadkar said the global greening will promote Ireland to millions of potential visitors around the world.

“Our job is to build on this fantastic occasion by encouraging them to visit Ireland,” he said.

“We want to give them the green light to visit - literally.

“Traditionally, St Patrick's Day has signalled the start of the tourism season in Ireland and this initiative will significantly raise Ireland's profile.”

Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland, said the displays will bring a smile to the faces of people around the globe. - Belfast Telegraph

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