The world’s tallest building made a powerful statement for gender equality.

The Burj Khalifa has lit up for many cool events in its time – New Year’s Eve, National Day celebrations, and even the release of the new Avengers movie.

But the world’s tallest building had an important message last night when it switched off half of its dazzling lights in support of the United Nations’ HeForShe campaign.

The initiative encourages men to stand in solidarity with women, in a bid to create a more gender-equal world.

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By turning half of its lights off, the Burj Khalifa wanted to “symbolise the power lost when the world excludes women and girls”.

The Burj Khalifa wasn’t the only icon to pay tribute – the Empire State Building in New York and the CN Tower in Toronto were among several buildings around the world to participate in the stark visual metaphor.

Here’s the Empire State Building, with its lights split between black and white:

 

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