In a joint initiative, Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited, Archaeological Survey of India and KRIAA Foundation illuminated the 11th-century ASI-protected Rajarani Temple monument with teal colour. The colour represents cervical cancer elimination.
On this day last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer as a public health problem, with a resolution passed by 194 nations. Countries and communities around the world marked this movement with a day of action and the launch of local campaigns.
This unique celebration, held for the first time in Odisha, advocates awareness being the key to overcome the cervical cancer menace and to facilitate the survivors to lead and share their stories.
They were joined by high-level speakers representing a broad coalition of partners dedicated to eliminating the disease and four-time Grammy Award-winning artist Angélique Kidjo at the global level. In fact, communities across the globe illuminated over 100 landmark monuments in teal colour.
“We are taking the concept of ‘Lighting a Heritage’ a step forward in Odisha in association with the Bhubaneswar Smart City, Acharya Harihar Post-Graduate Institute of Cancer and Association of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Odisha. As a first of kind event in Odisha, we want to create awareness amongst the society and boost the morale of people affected by cervical cancer and help them to lead a normal life after the trauma of COVID-19 lockdown, for which all their treatment processes had come to a grinding halt.’’ Lily Jenamani of KRIAA Foundation said.