Record Number Of New Zealand Landmarks Light Up Orange To Support The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge

This weekend, 23 of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most prominent and loved landmarks will light up orange in support of the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge.

Between 16 –18 June, there will be an orange glow from Northland to Otago, as bridges, clock towers, monuments, fountains, museums and sporting venues light up to mark New Zealand’s largest youth fundraising event.

Tens of thousands of rangatahi will take part in this year’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge, in which participants choose a challenge to complete over 40 hours and get friends and family to sponsor them. This year the event is helping to raise funds for children who urgently need clean water.

Venues supporting New Zealand’s largest youth fundraising event include the Auckland Lightpath, Christchurch Airport, Wellington’s Michael Fowler Centre, Whangarei’s Victoria Canopy Bridge, New Plymouth Clock Tower and Toitu Otago Settlers Museum. 
 

Eden Park’s Chief Executive Officer, Nick Sautner, says the stadium is delighted to be supporting the cause for the third year in a row.

"We are thrilled to be one of the iconic landmarks illuminating New Zealand orange in support of the World Vision 40-Hour Challenge. The scarcity of clean water affects millions of children around the world, and we are proud to once again light up Eden Park to demonstrate our joint commitment to supporting World Vision in making an impact on the lives of those in need.

Meanwhile, Vector Lights will illuminate the Auckland Harbour Bridge orange. Its ”Celebrating Auckland” dynamic light show will run every 30 mins, punctuated by an orange light display to recognise the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge over the course of the weekend. 
 

Sarah Williams, Chief People and Communications Officer at Vector says; "We're proud to be supporting the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge alongside other iconic landmarks across the country. There are still millions of children around the world who don’t have access to clean water, so we’re inspired by the commitment and dedication of everyone taking part and by the important work that World Vision continues to do year in and year out.” 
 

The World Vision 40 Hour Challenge aims to bring clean water to kids living in theworld’s toughest places, with a focus on Malawi, where every day 11 children under the age of five die from diseases related to dirty water.

Globally, millions of children are affected because they don’t have safe water to drink. One in five children worldwide do not have enough clean water to get through the day and many have no option but to walk for hours each day to find clean water sources.

Climate change is making things even harder – our land and rivers are drying up and when drought kills a family’s crops, they can’t eat.

World Vision’s goal is to bring clean water to everyone, everywhere it works in more than 100 countries around the world by 2030.

World Vision NZ’s International Partnerships Director TJ Grant is delighted more landmarks than ever before are lighting up to support the World Vision 40 Hour Challenge. 
 

“We’re so grateful to have these wonderful venues and landmarks behind us this year, showing their support for one of the nation’s biggest fundraising events! We can’t wait to watch on as Aotearoa’s skyline turns orange over the weekend,” says Grant.

To find out more, to donate, or take part in this weekend’s World Vision 40 Hour Challenge visit: 40hour.org.nz Follow @40hourNZ #40hourNZ

The full list of landmarks lighting up orange this weekend follows:

Northland: Victoria Canopy Bridge, Kotuitui Whitinga 
Auckland: SkyCity, Eden Park, The Lightpath, Vector Lights on the Harbour Bridge

Waikato: Victoria Street Bridge

Taranaki: New Plymouth Clock Tower

Manawatu: Hopwood Clock Tower, Palmerston North Regent Theatre

Wellington: Michael Fowler Centre, Kelburn Park Fountain

Canterbury: Christchurch Airport, Christchurch Town Hall Ferrier Fountain, The Botanical Gardens, The Bowker Fountain, Captain Scott Plaza, New Brighton Pier, Vaka a Hina, Bridge of Remembrance, Fan Fare

Otago: Oamaru Opera House, Toitu Otago Settlers Museum

© Scoop Media