Tampere goes green for Ireland

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What do the Great Wall of China, the Rome's Colosseum and the Rauhaniemi public sauna in Tampere have in common? Tourism Ireland has come up with Global Greening, an initiative planned to celebrate St Patrick’s Day by illuminating different landmarks green all around the world. This year, the Rauhaniemi public sauna and hole in the ice along with local winter swimmers represented a Finnish landmark for this purpose!

- People in Tampere and Ireland are connected by e.g. their love for black sausage (black pudding in Ireland). Global Greening is a fine campaign and we wanted to send our greetings from Tampere and Finland by starting an annual St Patrick’s Day ice swimming tradition. At the same time, we want to inform the Irish of Tampere as an interesting travelling destination, says the man behind the idea, Irish-born Oliver Hussey from Tredea.

In Tampere, the Rauhaniemi public sauna and the swimming hole in the ice were illuminated green as a group of swimmers in green hats along with some Irish Hurlers joined in the celebration on the lake surface. The Global Greening moments in Tampere were captured by photographer Jeff McCarthy. The event was organised together with Visit Tampere.

Destinations taking part in Global Greening are largely covered by the press, also outside of Ireland.

- St Patrick’s Day traditionally marks the real start of the tourism season for us and we’re delighted to be continuing our Global Greening initiative again this year, with some fun new additions – including a group of ice swimmers and hurlers in Finland. Our aim is to bring a smile to the faces of people everywhere and to convey the message that Ireland offers the warmest of welcomes and great fun, as well as wonderful scenery and heritage, says Tourism Ireland’s Manager for the Nordic Region, Aileen Hickey, in a press release from Tourism Ireland.

More information:

Read the Tourism Ireland press release about Global Greening celebrations in Tampere here: www.tourismireland.com/Press-Releases/2016/March/Brave-ice-swimmers-and-Irish-hurlers-join-Tourism

BBC News:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-35831400

The Irish Independent:
www.independent.ie/life/travel/global-greening-mustsee-snaps-of-the-landmarks-going-green-for-st-patricks-day-34545272.html

UTV Ireland:
http://utv.ie/News/2016/03/16/Globe-goes-green-for-St-Patricks-Day-55857

The Irish News:
www.irishnews.com/photos/picturegalleries/2016/03/16/photo/landmarks-go-green-for-st-patrick-s-day-453479/?param=ds12rif76F

Watch a video of Global Greening destinations in 2015

Contact:
Karoliina Lehtonen
Marketing Manager
Tampere Region Economic Development Agency Tredea / Visit Tampere
karoliina.lehtonen@tredea.fi
tel. +358 50 572 0606
www.visittampere.fi

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