The initiative started in 2010, paving the way for worldwide landmarks to go green to celebrate the Ireland National Day (or St Patrick’s Day).

Vice Mayor of Hanoi, Nguyen Doan Toan speaks at the celebration event

This is the first year the Pen Monument in Hanoi, has been turned green for the day. Minister of State for Food, Forestry and Horticulture, Andrew Doyle, represented the Government of Ireland at the St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations in Vietnam, along with Irish Ambassador to Vietnam, Cáit Moran and Nguyen Doan Toan, Hanoi’s Vice Mayor etc.
Toan affirmed Hanoi as the first South East Asian city to join the Global Greening along with other 100 sites in 35 nations all over the world on occasion of St Patrick’s Day in 2017. This year, the Pen Monument along with other 300 landmarks at 32 countries turn green to welcome the National Day of Ireland.  “I hope the Hanoi citizens would enjoy the joyful and memorable pedestrian zone, where the event is held. Through these activities, the tie between Hanoi and Irish cities would be enhanced and developed”, Toan said.
Every year on March 17, Ireland and its people celebrate St Patrick’s Day, Ireland’s national day. With up to 70 million people around the world claiming Irish ancestry and many more friends of Ireland, St Patrick’s Day is a worldwide celebration.