In honour of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, the Sphinx and three Pyramids of Giza were bathed in blue light on Saturday 24 October, along with a variety of other famous landmarks around the world.
The worldwide celebration kicked off in New Zealand and Australia, where the Auckland Museum and the Sydney Opera House were the first monuments to be lit up in blue. Over 300 monuments in 60 countries, including the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, the Hermitage Museum in Russia, the Peace Palace in The Netherlands and the Kahramana Statue in Iraq followed suit.
The United Nations Headquarters in New York City was also lit in blue on Friday night, when the annual UN Day concert featuring a Korean orchestra was held in the General Assembly Hall.
UN Day has been celebrated every year on October 24 since the organisation’s charter came into force in 1948. The UN was established three years after the end of World War II to replace the ineffective League of Nations and to serve as a promoter of world peace and human rights.
In a message published on the UN website, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said the organisation “remains a beacon for all humanity” and that the “timeless values of the UN charter must remain our guide”.
The famed slender 135 metre tall Cairo Tower was also lit up in UN blue in celebration of Egypt securing a two-year non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
Watani International
25 October 2015