The Capital Regional District's headquarters and British Columbia's Legislative Assembly will take on a different hue later this month.
On March 24, the two buildings will shine red in honour of World Tuberculosis Day, along with 51 other buildings and monuments across the country.
The annual event seeks to shine a light on those suffering from tuberculosis (TB), which, since it was discovered in 1882, has claimed the lives of over one billion people, according to a study in the Journal of the International Aids Society. Today, it is the leading cause of death worldwide, aside from COVID-19.
"We must stand with people suffering and dying from TB around the world now more than ever," Results Canada, an advocacy group dedicated to ending poverty, said in a news release. "As we know from experience, infectious diseases do not respect borders, and the rise in TB cases here in Canada is alarming. The solution is to work together to protect our future, not turn a blind eye."
Members of Results Canada will be outside both buildings on Monday, where the public is encouraged to take pictures, post them to their social media accounts with the #YesWeCanEndTB hashtag and send the posts to their member of Parliament with a note about mitigating the disease at home and abroad.
"The fact that more monuments than ever from coast-to-coast-to-coast are lighting up in red this year for World TB Day shows that Canadians care about the world," Results Canada said in the same news release. "This is a testament to the dedication and advocacy of the many Results Canada volunteers who have been submitting requests for this initiative and tirelessly advocating for increased awareness and action from Canada to address TB."
