Announcement of the ‘Greening’ of Christ the Redeemer Statue
Rio de Janeiro, 10 October 2012
Your Grace, Dom Orani Joao Tempesta, the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro
Ladies and Gentlemen
I am delighted to join His Grace, Dom Orani, the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, in announcing that this iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer will be turned green on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17th 2013.
I would like to thank Dom Orani, for his kind agreement and enthusiastic support for this illumination.
The colour green is synonymous with Ireland – the green shamrock, the green in our national flag and the green of the landscape of Ireland.
The greening is a natural extension of Tourism Ireland’s ‘global greening’ initiative which this year saw over 30 world iconic landmarks turn green on St Patrick’s Day. I am delighted to be joined today by Niall Gibbons, CEO of Tourism Ireland, and I wish them every success in their endeavours.
The act of ‘greening’ iconic landmarks around the world on March 17th creates a powerful wave of connectedness of Irish citizens around the world. This year, other landmarks were ‘greened’ such as the Niagara Falls on the border of the US and Canada, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Sydney Opera House. We are delighted that Rio is joining our party.
The ‘greening’ of Christ Redeemer will bring Rio de Janeiro into this connectedness, and draws the attention of the 70 million Irish Diaspora to this marvellous city. This occasion will also have special resonance for the thousands of Irish citizens living in Brazil and Brazilian citizens living in Ireland.
The green illumination this statue will wear on March 17th will also, we hope, draw positive attention to Ireland as a destination for Brazilian travellers. Whether Brazilians come to pursue business opportunities or to enjoy our wonderful scenery and rich culture, I know that they will receive a warm welcome.
As this beautiful city prepares to host the 2014 World Cup final and the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, we thank you for this honour.
Thank you very much. It has been a pleasure being here with you.