SINGAPORE - A record 56 buildings and landmarks in Singapore will be illuminated in blue to commemorate World Water Day, which falls annually on March 22.
The facade of these buildings and landmarks will be illuminated from March 19 to 22, as part of national water agency PUB's City Turns Blue initiative, which started in 2014.
Joining for the first time are 16 landmarks including Capitol Singapore, The Fullerton Hotel, and the SkyHelix open-air ride in Sentosa, as well as tertiary institutions, said PUB.
They will also be joined by the Singapore pavilion at the World Expo 2020 in Dubai to show Singapore's commitment to water sustainability.
Last year, 44 local landmarks such as Ion Orchard and the ArtScience Museum were bathed in blue as part of the light-up.
World Water Day was designated by the United Nations in 1993 as a reminder that water is a critical resource that should be cherished and protected.
PUB said that a total of 460 partners are participating in this year's World Water Day to help raise awareness of water conservation.
In March, more than 60 retailers will offer blue-themed promotions and deals, and more than 130 schools and organisations will conduct various water-themed activities on Water Wednesdays.
People can join in by posting images of their favourite landmarks lit up in blue on social media with the hashtags #GoBlue4SG and #MakeEveryDropCount.
This year's theme for the United Nations World Water Day is "Groundwater: Making the invisible visible", which highlights the importance of groundwater.
Underground layers of porous rock, sand or gravel hold stores of water that supply natural streams or can be brought up by pumps or wells.
About 30 per cent of the world's freshwater comes from groundwater, but water scarcity is a growing problem worldwide.
Globally, almost half of all drinking water and water for irrigated agriculture, as well as a third of water required for industry comes from groundwater, according to the Unesco International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre.
The UN's campaign aims to promote the sustainable use of groundwater and prevent its overuse and pollution, as well as rally decision-makers to put this in focus during policymaking.
Landmarks participating in City Turns Blue initiative for the first time
- Capitol Singapore
- Furama City Centre
- Furama RiverFront
- ITE College Central
- ITE College East
- ITE College West
- Marina Bay Financial Centre (Tower 1, 2, 3)
- Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts
- Singapore Pavilion @ Expo 2020 Dubai
- Singapore Institute of Technology
- Singapore Management University
- SkyHelix
- Temasek Polytechnic
- The Arts House
- The Fullerton Hotel
- The Ritz-Carlton
