Here’s How to Light Landmarks Near You in Celebration of World Vitiligo Day
Vitiligo, although it affects over 70 million people worldwide, remains mysterious and unknown to many. To tackle this, vitiligo advocates are partnering with cities and towns across the U.S. and Canada to “shine a light on vitiligo.”
On June 25th, World Vitiligo Day, purple bulbs will light up recognizable local landmarks in a gesture aiming to spotlight vitiligo awareness and spark conversation, education and inclusivity. Why purple? Since the very first celebration of World Vitiligo Day as “Purple Fun Day” in 2011, purple has been the signature color of vitiligo awareness, representing the strength, resilience, and beauty of individuals living with vitiligo. This vibrant hue draws attention, making the campaign’s message of inclusion and understanding not only visible but impossible to ignore.
By spotlighting iconic landmarks in a purple glow, cities can stand in solidarity with those with vitiligo and help bring the condition out of the shadows—and you can join the effort, too.
The #Lit4Vit campaign is on a mission to light up North America in purple for vitiligo awareness. On June 25th, World Vitiligo Day, each year, cities and towns in the U.S. and Canada join with vitiligo advocates to “shine a light on vitiligo.” With purple bulbs lighting up recognizable local landmarks, this gesture spotlights vitiligo awareness in a very visible way.
The #Lit4Vit campaign
The #Lit4Vit campaign is on a mission to light up North America in purple for vitiligo awareness. The grassroots campaign is spearheaded by VITFriends, a vitiligo support group network, and is carried out by many other support groups and individuals across the United States. With dedicated efforts from local citizens asking their city officials to support vitiligo awareness in this way, the movement is gaining greater visibility each year.
In 2024, over 60 landmarks across the U.S. and Canada went purple for #Lit4Vit, including bridges, sports arenas, buildings and the downtown skyline of Charlotte, N.C. Boston’s Prudential Tower and the Mayo Clinic campuses went purple for World Vitiligo Day. In New York, Niagara Falls glowed purple before the thousands of tourists who visit it daily. In Tampa, FL, residents strolling along the city’s Riverwalk were bathed in purple light.
How to light up your landmark
In 2025, your city’s landmark could be added to the #Lit4Vit list. The #Lit4Vit campaign helps vitiligo advocates (like you) work with local businesses and property owners to light up workplaces and landmarks in a purple hue. The website guides potential advocates in the process of requesting for a local landmark to be #Lit4Vit. Here’s how:
- Identify a local landmark (VITFriends has a list of potential sites across North American if you need ideas for where to start)
- Identify the city official to contact
- Submit a written request for the building or landmark to be lit purple on June 25th (VITFriends also has a letter template you can use)
- Ask local friends and vitiligo advocates to write letters, too (the more voices, the better)
- Follow up 1-2 weeks after submitting your letter
Celebrating your landmark
You can also support this effort by visiting the landmarks near you when they are lit purple on June 25th. Take a selfie in front of the landmark, shoot a short video, and post it to social media. Tag #Lit4Vit and #WorldVitiligoDay to help spread the word about this movement. (Pro tip: take photos of the lit-up landmarks at dusk for best results.)
Summary
The message of the #Lit4Vit campaign is clear: vitiligo deserves its moment in the spotlight. And it may be as simple as writing one letter to add your local landmark to the roster of cities supporting vitiligo awareness this June 25th. As more and more cities “go purple” for vitiligo, those scattered spotlights can become a brighter and brighter glow, one that’s impossible to ignore.
Learn more and get involved: https://www.vitfriends.org/lit4vit
