Help us light up Canada in red for World TB Day!
World Tuberculosis Day is on March 24th but some of the planning has already started, including the campaign to light up city monuments in red. It is crucial to get started on this as early as January as it can take weeks or even months in some cases to get approval to light up a building or monument in red. In some cases, you may need to think of a Plan B from the get-go—there’s no harm in having more than one building/landmark lit up in red in your city!
Last year, you may remember various monuments around the world that were lit up in red, including in Toronto, Victoria, Montreal, Niagara Falls and Calgary (click here to see the list). We would like to repeat this and go beyond this year, and the process starts now.
If there is no building/landmark that can be lit up in red in your community, be creative and take selfies with a ‘stop tb’ sign (homemade), consider organizing an awareness event around World TB Day like a (virtual) film screening or anything else.
What you need to do to take action
In each community/city/campus, at least one person will need to take the lead and put in a request for one (or more) of their city monuments to be lit up in red on March 24, 2020. Most of the application procedures are easy, either online or by mailed letter, but they usually need 1-2 months’ notice for approval. Refer to the last page of this document for an example and FAQs.
Step 1: Identify landmarks/buildings for you to take care of. Consult Results Canada’s list of landmarks/buildings to see if anyone is already taking care of submitting a request to the landmark/building you thought of. If someone else is already taking care of it, explore other landmarks/buildings and add to the list! It’s also happened in the past that people requested landmarks/buildings (such as Niagara Falls) to be lit up even though they were not in that particular community - don’t let geography stop you (and/or think about who you know in that community who can help)!
Step 2: Once you identify a landmark / monument you want to get lit up, add it and your name to the list of landmarks/buildings. It is particularly essential that you do this as soon as you can so that we can ensure that there is no duplicate effort.
Step 3: Apply to have your city monuments/landmarks lit in red for World TB Day 2021. Each city/building/landmark has a different process and will require a bit of research on your part to find out how to go about it. Visit your city’s website and call them to find out who to contact to submit the request.
Step 4: Once you have a confirmation that the monument will be lit in red, tell everyone about it including your MP, your city councillors and other influencers! Invite everyone to take photos/selfies with the monument lit up and spread the word on social media (don’t forget to tag @stoptbcanada). We will share social media messaging and hashtags for use closer to the date of World TB Day.
Step 5: Use your participation as a hook for future advocacy on TB (e.g. Dear Minister Gould, on World TB Day this year I stood in solidarity with advocates across the world working to eradicate TB…).
If you have time or interest, you might want to also consider organizing a side event to coincide with the lighting, such as a virtual film screening of Unmasked: We all Breathe or a virtual panel discussion. If you wish to have a side event, refer to Results Canada’s Event planning 101 tips. Consider inviting the media to your event and send them a pitch idea for a story. Don’t forget to let them know about why the landmark is lit up in red!
Example of application procedure and FAQs
Below is an example of the application procedure from the Toronto City Hall website. You’ll also find important information (in red) that you may wish to use in your own request as an overview of Results Canada and the global TB movement. All monuments will likely have a slightly different procedure, but this should be helpful as a guide. Should you have any specific questions, please email action@resultscanada.ca.
Toronto City Hall Example
To have your request for lighting considered, please provide the following information on the requesting not-for-profit or registered charitable organization’s letterhead at least three (3) weeks prior to the requested lighting date.
The nature of the cause.
Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading global cause of death and kills 1.5 million people each year. The infectious disease can be found in every continent, but predominantly affects people living in poorer conditions, including across Canada. World TB Day occurs annually on March 24th and is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization. The day commemorates the day in 1882 that Dr. Robert Koch discovered the cause of tuberculosis, a turning point in the fight against a disease that raged across Europe and the Americas at the time. On this day, advocates across the world stand in solidarity with one another and alongside the communities affected by this devastating disease by lighting their landmarks in red.
History and background of the organization/cause.
Results Canada is a global movement of passionate citizens, committed to raising our voices for a world without extreme poverty. We combine the voices of our grassroots advocates with strategic advocacy efforts to leverage millions of dollars for programs and improved policies that give the world’s poorest people the health, education, and opportunity they need to thrive.
How lighting will be used to benefit the cause.
TB is a relatively unknown and neglected disease; despite the global devastation it has wreaked for centuries. Lighting up the ****(monument/landmark name) will help to build awareness of the impact the disease has in Canada, in ****(your city), and around the world. In participating in this on World TB Day this year, the city of ****(your city) demonstrates their solidarity in the global fight against tuberculosis and will help to generate the global leadership we need to see the eradication of the disease.
The requested date for the lighting.
March 24, 2021
The requested colour(s) for the lighting (RGB number or colour sample — up to two colours only).
Red – we’re not picky about what shade of red, but if they do ask for a specific RGB number or code the following are red:
Hexcode FF0000, RGB numbers R:255 G:0 B 0, (Decimal Code: 255,0,0)
A web link to more information on our organizations.
A management representative’s signature (from the requesting organization).
If they request this, please consult the drafted letter also supplied, to which you’ll need to add a few details.
NOTE: There is a chance that they will require you to demonstrate how the cause impacts the city in which you live. If you would like more info on this, or help in illustrating it, please email hello@stoptbcanada.com and we will provide some further details where possible (statistics, etc.).
Thank you to Results Canada for letting us repurpose their brilliant instructions for lighting up monuments in red!
Updated: December 2020
