The color green, closely associated with Ireland, has long been a traditional feature of this festival. In recent years, many landmark buildings around the world have been illuminated in green on St. Patrick's Day to mark the occasion.
Everyone knows that Ireland is the Emerald Isle, not only because of its breathtaking scenery but also because its pristine nature and green environment have nurtured a rich, healthy, and sustainable food industry. Ireland is also a modern green island, home to cutting-edge clean-tech companies helping the world become more environmentally friendly and green.
The green illumination of the Badaling Great Wall reflects the strong bilateral relationship between China and Ireland, as well as the long-standing friendship between the two peoples. Beijing and the Irish capital, Dublin, are sister cities, and this also demonstrates the friendship and solidarity of the Beijing Municipal Government.
Tourism Ireland's annual "Global Greening" celebration continues to grow; currently, over 100 landmarks or iconic sites have joined this year's green illumination event.
The lineup of landmarks joining Ireland's "Global Greening" initiative this year is truly stellar, with China's Badaling Great Wall, the Sydney Opera House, the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra in Jordan, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, and the Empire State Building in New York all participating in the 2014 Irish "Global Greening" celebrations.
In Shanghai, the Oriental Pearl Radio & Television Tower, the Pudong Shangri-La Hotel, and the Mercedes-Benz Arena at the former World Expo site will all be illuminated in green to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, while the famous Canton Tower will also light up the Pearl River in green.