The Otago Museum, Dunedin Public Art Gallery and Toitu Otago Settlers Museum will be bathed in orange lights to acknowledge the thousands of young New Zealanders taking part in the annual fundraiser.
World Vision New Zealand national director Grant Bayldon said it was a special way to mark the efforts of young New Zealanders doing all they can to make a difference for children in sub-Saharan Africa who are facing ‘‘what could be the biggest hunger crisis of our lifetime’’.
Otago Museum marketing manager Kate Oktay said the museum was proud to support the World Vision 40 Hour Famine.
‘‘It is a wonderful way that New Zealand can make a difference to the world.”
Other sites turning orange around the country include Auckland’s Sky Tower, Christchurch Airport, Wellington’s Kelburn Park Fountain and the Palmerston North Regent Theatre.
The challenge starts tomorrow and will run until Sunday, and about 90,000 young people across the country are expected to take part.
World Vision 40 Hour Famine ambassadors Jess Quinn, Caleb Clarke, Paige Tapara have been championing young people who have signed up.
Caleb Clarke said he encouraged each and every young New Zealander to take part. ‘‘In the scheme of things, 40 hours isn’t a very long time, yet the impact we can make for children in sub-Saharan Africa is massive.”
Paige Tapara said while it did not take a huge amount of effort for New Zealand youth to put 40 hours aside to help children, families and communities in sub-Saharan Africa, ‘‘the effort from all of us, collectively, will make a huge difference’’.
Jess Quinn said at times, it could be easy to forget there are many people around the world living a very different life.
‘‘The World Vision 40 Hour Famine not only brings this to the forefront, but it gives us the tools we need to simply use what we have to make real and lasting change for children who desperately need it.”
Visit 40hour.org.nz for more details and to give.
