UAE buildings light up for St Patrick's Day, including Burj Al Arab and Dubai Airport


Hayley Skirka
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Landmark buildings across the UAE are going green to mark St Patrick's Day on Wednesday.

Burj Al Arab, Dubai Frame and Dubai International Airport are among 23 places across the Emirates to sign up to illuminate for Ireland's national day of celebration.

Click through the gallery above to see more of the UAE's buildings taking part.

The viridescent display is part of a global initiative by Tourism Ireland to mark the occasion in 2021.

Dubai International Airport glows green for St Patrick's Day. It's the first time that the airport – one of the world's busiest – has joined Tourism Ireland's Global Greening. Courtesy Tourism Ireland
Dubai International Airport glows green for St Patrick's Day. It's the first time that the airport – one of the world's busiest – has joined Tourism Ireland's Global Greening. Courtesy Tourism Ireland

Landmarks, buildings and places of interest around the world joined in the glow-up, with 670 landmarks across 66 countries taking part.

Going green for the first time in the UAE are Dubai International Airport, Palm Jumeirah Monorail and the Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding.

The largest fountain in the world, Dubai's The Palm Fountain, also glowed in green and hosted a Riverdance-themed performance.

Ireland's Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai and the recently opened Address Beach Resort, Dubai also took part in the global glow.

Burj Al Arab, The Abu Dhabi Edition and the Hilton Garden Inn Ras Al Khaimah all joined in, too. Dubai's Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, will glow green at 8.40pm on St Patrick's Day.

Going green around the globe: from Sydney Opera House to the London Eye

Australia's Sydney Opera House joined Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening again this year. Courtesy Tourism Ireland.
Australia's Sydney Opera House joined Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening again this year. Courtesy Tourism Ireland.

Sydney Opera House joined Tourism Ireland’s Global Greening once again this year. The initiative first originated on St Patrick's Day in Australia 11 years ago when the famous landmark was illuminated in green.

New attractions to join the effort include the most northerly "greening" in the world – a postbox at the summit of Oretoppen peak in Norway, 350 kilometres above the Arctic Circle.

The London Eye illuminates for Tourism Ireland's Global Greening on St Patrick's Day 2021. Courtesy Tourism Ireland
The London Eye illuminates for Tourism Ireland's Global Greening on St Patrick's Day 2021. Courtesy Tourism Ireland

Other new places include the Torre Costanera in Chile, which is one of South America's tallest buildings; Bled Castle in Slovenia; Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier in California; and the Sekenani Gate at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

These new sites joined others that have participated in previous years, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Niagara Falls, Victoria Falls and the London Eye.

"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," said Niall Gibbons, chief executive of Tourism Ireland.

Dubai's desert glows green for St Patricks Day. Courtesy Tourism Ireland
Dubai's desert glows green for St Patricks Day. Courtesy Tourism Ireland

"This year, against the ongoing backdrop of Covid-19, our St Patrick’s Day programme around the world is more important than ever before."

6 UNDERGROUND

Director: Michael Bay

Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Adria Arjona, Dave Franco

2.5 / 5 stars

THE BIO:

Sabri Razouk, 74

Athlete and fitness trainer 

Married, father of six

Favourite exercise: Bench press

Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn

Power drink: A glass of yoghurt

Role model: Any good man

The Details

Kabir Singh

Produced by: Cinestaan Studios, T-Series

Directed by: Sandeep Reddy Vanga

Starring: Shahid Kapoor, Kiara Advani, Suresh Oberoi, Soham Majumdar, Arjun Pahwa

Rating: 2.5/5 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm

Transmission: 9-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh117,059

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Europe’s rearming plan
  • Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
  • Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
  • Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
  • Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
  • Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 
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UAE v Gibraltar

What: International friendly

When: 7pm kick off

Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City

Admission: Free

Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page

UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)

GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Brief scores:

Manchester City 2

Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'

Crystal Palace 3

Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)

Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

Jetour T1 specs

Engine: 2-litre turbocharged

Power: 254hp

Torque: 390Nm

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Company%20Profile
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