Today, March 16, Freetown’s Cotton Tree lit up in green as it joins Ireland’s Global Greening initiative, which celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, for the second year in a row.
As one of Sierra Leone’s oldest and most well-known landmarks, the Cotton Tree will turn green with over 500 world famous landmarks including New York’s Empire State Building, the Sydney Opera House and Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil.
Present at the lighting ceremony were the Chief Administrator of Freetown City Council, Mr Festus Kallay, the Ambassador of the Republic of Ireland to Sierra Leone, Ambassador Lesley Ní Bhriain, and staff of Freetown City Council and the Irish Embassy. Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr was unavoidably absent as she is currently in self-isolation after a recent trip to the U.K.
Nonetheless, Freetown City Council and Mayor Aki-Sawyerr support the inclusion of the Cotton Tree in the Global Greening lineup, as it raises the profile of the Tree and Freetown internationally – an effort which can boost tourism in Freetown.
We are grateful for the opportunity to share our city’s iconic landmark with the world and we will continue to work with the Irish Embassy to deepen our relationship.
