Lagos National Theatre among 199 other world monuments to be lit blue on Saturday

dimeji akinloye

October 19, 2015 9:13 PM

The theatre, located in Iganmu, Lagos State, was completed in 1976 in preparation for the Festival of Arts and Culture (FESTAC) in 1977.

National Theatre, Lagos.

The National Arts Theatre in Lagos would be among 200 iconic monuments, buildings, statues, bridges and other landmarks across the world that would be lit up blue on Oct. 24 to mark the founding of United Nations.

Ms Cristina Gallach, UN Under-Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, told reporters in New York on Monday that other monuments include the Empire State Building, UN Headquarters, Tokyo’s SkyTree Tower, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Athen’s Temple of Zeus, Edinburgh Castle, and many others.

She said that the lighting up of the 200 monuments was part of an exciting new global campaign which helped unite global citizens and promoted the message of peace, development and human rights.

According to Gallach, the day is dedicated to the global efforts and achievements of the UN.

The under-secretary-general said this year’s observance would begin on Friday with a special concert featuring a Korean Traditional Music Orchestra and other renowned international artists.

The UN, she said, would celebrate an extraordinary event marking its 70th Anniversary as renowned artist Cristobal Gabarron unveils his monument entitled: “Enlightened Universe” in New York’s famed Central Park.

The monument, she explained, was an interactive sculpture formed by a sphere and surrounded by a spiral of 70 figures, one for each of the 70 years since the UN was created.

She said that the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, would make opening remarks and would be joined by UN officials, staff, diplomats, city officials and global citizens.

She added that the event would take place in Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield entrance on East 72nd and 5th Avenue in New York.

After its display in New York, she said the artwork would be displayed in major cities across the globe.

Oct. 24, 1945, the UN came into force when the five permanent members of the Security Council ratified the charter that had been drawn up earlier that year.

The members were France, the Republic of China, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Since 1948, the event’s anniversary had been known as United Nations Day.

It is an occasion to highlight, celebrate and reflect on the work of the UN and its family of specialised agencies.

Meanwhile, many activities are organised by all parts of the UN, particularly in the main offices in New York, the Hague (Netherlands), Geneva (Switzerland), Vienna (Austria) and Nairobi (Kenya).

These include concerts, flying the UN flag on important buildings, debates on the relevance of the work of the UN in modern times and proclamations by state heads and other leaders.

dimeji akinloye