Two quirky additions have been made Tourism Ireland’s 2025 Global Greening campaign, a polar bear sculpture in Longyearbyen in Norway, which is the most northerly Greening, and The Kelpies in Scotland, the largest equine sculptures in the world.
It is a nice case of a homecoming – studies of DNA of polar bears show the species originated in Ireland during the ice age.
Repeat sites lighting up in green for Saint Patrick’s day 2025 include Niagara Falls, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Empire State Building in New York, the CN Tower in Canada, the Sacré-Cœur in Paris, Cochem Castle in Germany, the Cibeles Fountain in Madrid, the Wiener Riesenrad in Vienna, the Grand Place in Brussels and the Sky Tower in Auckland.
At peak the campaign lit up 426 sites in 57 different countries. When the St Patrick’s festival global greening first started back in 2010, just two global sites – the Sydney Opera House (where the idea originated) and Auckland’s Sky Tower were lit.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, shared: “Saint Patrick’s Day is a moment when the world turns its attention to Ireland and our Global Greening initiative is a powerful symbol of the deep connections we share across the globe. This year, we are delighted to see iconic landmarks once again lighting up in green, bringing a sense of celebration to communities worldwide and reminding people of the warmth and welcome that awaits them in Ireland.
“Saint Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest drivers of interest in travel to Ireland, sparking inspiration for spring and summer trips, and our 2025 promotional programme showcases the best of what our island has to offer. Our message is that, while the world goes green for one day, Ireland’s beauty is evergreen, and we look forward to inspiring even more people to visit our island and experience its magic for themselves.”
