Istanbul: Green shines spotlight on cerebral palsy

By Elif Kucuk and Muhammed Gencebay Gur

ISTANBUL (AA) - Istanbul shone green on Sunday to mark World Cerebral Palsy Day and raise awareness of the neurological disorder.

Two of the Turkish metropolis’ cross-continental bridges -- the Fatih Sultan Mehmet and Yavuz Sultan Selim -- were lit up in green, the disorder’s internationally designated color, along with the historic Galata Tower, and several shopping malls and prominent buildings.

According to the Spastic Children's Foundation of Turkey - Cerebral Palsy, famed landmarks in a host of countries worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Canada, India, Australia, and Turkey, were lit up green Sunday for people with cerebral palsy.

Volunteers, influencers, and celebrities from around the world also shared photos taken with the green-hued buildings and posted them on social media with the hashtag #GoGreen4CP.

Nigar Evgin, head of the Spastic Children's Foundation of Turkey - Cerebral Palsy, said green was chosen as it represents key elements of life, including growth, relief, tranquility, and respiration.

There are around 17 million people with cerebral palsy worldwide, according to the Australian-based Cerebral Palsy Alliance.

Cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that appears in early childhood, is caused by injury or malformation to the brain prior to its development before, during, or after birth.

*Contributions and writing by Sena Guler