Nearly 25,000 students paint for the environment

On April 2, the organizers of the “Denmark in My Eyes” drawing contest held an award ceremony to honor 74 individuals and 5 collectives for their outstanding artworks.

The Vietnam–Denmark Friendship Association (VIDAFA) holds the annual environmental-themed competition Denmark in My Eyes in partnership with the Embassy of Denmark in Vietnam.

The Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam, Nicolai Prytz, shared at the awarding ceremony that Vietnam and Denmark had established a long-standing and successful partnership in the field of green development and green transformation, which is directed toward a sustainable society.

The painting contest for the environment "Denmark in my eyes" is considered an opportunity to strengthen the friendship and encourage the youth of Vietnam to participate in the country's green transformation efforts as part of the partnership of cooperation.

The Denmark Embassy received a total of 24,600 paintings from students across the countries within the framework of this year's contest.  The competition is a valuable addition to the ongoing government-level cooperation between our two countries within the framework of the Green Strategic Partnership, as Ambassador Nicolai emphasized.

After Ambassador Nicolai's speech, Le Ngoc Tuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Climate Change (Ministry of Agriculture and Environment), stated that the painting contest for the environment "Denmark in my eyes" has become not only a meaningful playground for students throughout the country but also a cultural bridge that connects Vietnam and Denmark.

The Denmark in My Eyes drawing competition was a vibrant expression of the vivid imaginations of students from across the country, who brought "green ideas" to life through each brushstroke. Their imaginations were full of innocence and purity.

Mr. Le Ngoc Tuan underscored that the contemporary youth are acutely aware of and apprehensive about the pressing issues that humanity is confronted with as a result of pollution and climate change.  “At the same time, they place hope and faith in a greener, more sustainable future for all.”

According to Mr. Tuan, the artworks submitted to the competition will serve as a source of inspiration, encouraging each of us to make changes in how we live and interact with nature.  The cumulative effect of these modest individual changes can have a profoundly beneficial effect on society.

Nguyen Hoang Thinh, a sixth-grade student at Hanoi Victoria School, was awarded the Special Prize in the Denmark in My Eyes drawing competition this year for his artwork, "Green World – Green Future."

Sharing his inspiration, Thinh said: “The painting was created using scraps of fabric to convey a message of recycling and reusing materials.  From seemingly worthless items, we can still create meaningful works of art.  With this piece, I wanted to honor the beauty of the world, the beauty of life, and move toward more sustainable values.  I hope my artwork inspires others and spreads the message of protecting our planet and environment.”

The competition recognized 73 other outstanding people, including 2 First Prizes, 4 Second Prizes, 8 Third Prizes, 50 Consolation Prizes, and 9 Promising Talent Awards, in addition to Thinh's work.

The Ambassador of Denmark commended the exceptional quality of the submissions and expressed his optimism that all of the artworks could be published in a book or exhibited to highlight their artistic value and the green aspirations of the Vietnamese youth.

“What we’re seeing here is not just art, but heartfelt messages from children, the next generation, about the green transition. Many of the drawings contain creative ideas for how we can achieve that greener future. It would be a shame if these pieces weren’t displayed more widely,” the Ambassador emphasized.

In 2016, Denmark in My Eyes was initiated to commemorate the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and Denmark. The competition has been conducted annually since that time, with a new theme each year that primarily emphasizes the environment and green development.