(VNF) - During a ceremony and exhibition at the Danish residence on December 12, the winners of the annual art contest for Vietnamese schoolchildren, Denmark in Your Eyes, were awarded.

This year, the painting contest serves as a means to harness the young participants’ creativity and perception of the theme “Green Dreams” through colorful, imaginative drawings and to share their messages and visions regarding current environmental issues.

Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam Kim Højlund Christensen and Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Chairman of VIDAFA Tran Hong Ha present a special prize and two first prizes to young winners.

Two months after the launch of the contest, more than 4,100 entries of art works from nearly 100 schools, children’ art clubs and art centres nation-wide have been submitted. Submissions came from 28 provinces across Vietnam: Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, Binh Thuan, Can Tho, Cao Bang, Da Nang, Dak Lak, Dong Nai, Ha Giang, Hanoi, Ha Tinh, Hai Duong, Hai Phong, Tp. Ho Chi Minh, Hue, Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, Lang Son, Nghe An, Ninh Binh, Phu Tho, Quang Nam, Quang Ninh, Thai Nguyen, Thanh Hoa, Tuyen Quang and Vinh Phuc. Such statistics show a great interest from the largest number of attendants so far in this competition that is held already for the third time.

A number of acclaimed painters working with Kim Dong Publishing House, Nhi Dong Newspaper, as well as representatives of the Danish Embassy in Vietnam and the Vietnam – Denmark Friendship Association (VIDAFA) were appointed as judges. The judges worked hard to select 64 prizewinners, including the winners of one special prize, two first prizes, three second-prizes, six third prizes, 50 consolation prizes and two group prizes.

All winning entries are on display at the ceremony.

The special prize goes to Nguyen Ngoc Khue, a third-grader from the Primary School of Educational Technology Hanoi, for the submission “Family Bike”.

Two first-prize winners are Dang Phuong Chi, a student of Hanoi’s Dream Club with “Shining the World” and Pham Khanh Linh, a fifth-grader from Binh Da Primary School in Bien Hoa, Dong Nai Province with “Environmentallyfriendly Mushroom Shoes”.

The three entries tied for second runner-up include Ho Minh Anh’s “Rainbow”, Nguyen Thuy Tien’s “Protection of Water Resource”, Le Ngoc Van’s “Garden of Love”. Minh Anh is a kindergartener at Hoa Dao Kindergarten in Ba Dinh - Hanoi while Thuy Tien comes from class 4B, Cuong Son Primary School in Luc Nam - Bac Giang Province and Ngoc Van is a thirdgrader of Isaac Newton Grammar School.

Nguyen Sieu Primary School in Hanoi and Phuoc Tien Primary School in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa are the two schools awarded with group prizes for their excellent contribution to the competition.

Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam Kim Højlund Christensen commented on the quality of the paintings: I am very much impressed by the creativeness of the children participating in this year’s competition. Their artworks radiate great imagination and inspiration, conveying strong messages of environmental conservation. Using vivid colors and different media, the children paint a beautiful world in which people, animals and nature live in harmony. Their dreams of our future are filled with green and smiles.

"I am very happy that the competition gave a platform for young children to express their own concerns and feelings towards global environmental issues. In addition it brought our two countries much closer to each other in the fight to protect the environment," he shared.

The Earth Is Patient in a drawing of a prizewinner.

“Through the use of various topics and materials in the paintings, the students expressed their beautiful dreams about a green and clean world, about a safe and sustainable environment. Their dreams are also the messages they want to share with all of us: Let’s take responsibility in protecting the environment, keeping peace in the world and building friendships among different nations,” said Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Chairman of VIDAFA Tran Hong Ha.

The contest is co-hosted by the Danish Embassy in Vietnam, Vietnam – Denmark Friendship Association with valuable support from Kim Dong Publishing House, Nhi Dong Newspaper and My Kingdom – Lego Vietnam.

In 2016, during the celebration of the 45^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Denmark, the first “Denmark in your eyes” competition was launched by the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam and VIDAFA. The 2016 competition focused on English writing skills, and the winner (a 9^th-grade student from Hanoi) was awarded a two-week scholarship at Niels Brock Business School in Copenhagen, Denmark. Since then, “Denmark in your eyes” has become an annual competition for children, with a different theme every year./.

Minh Chau