The Irish Embassy to Croatia on Tuesday said that a record number of Croatian cities and locations will participate this year by greening public spaces like museums, galleries, fountains, parks and other areas, starting at 7 pm on St. Patrick's Day.
Green is the colour associated with Ireland and is used to promote Ireland's tourism, through marketing campaigns and other activities, including the global greening initiative, launched 11 years ago in Australia when the Sydney Opera House was lit up in green on St. Patrick's Day in 2010.
The Croatian cities that will participate in this global event this year are Zagreb, Rijeka, Zadar, Split, Pula, Dubrovnik and Varaždin, which have already participated, and this year they are to be joined by Hvar and Oriovac, as the only city from Slavonia.
The head of Ireland's tourism administration, Niall Gibbons, has said that more than 70 million people around the world have connections with Ireland and by marking St. Patrick's Day they reconnect with their heritage. This year it will be especially important because many of them who live abroad will not be able to travel home to celebrate.