Bangkok, 5 June 2009 –A Chinese student’s painting caught the eyes of judges, making it the Asia Pacific winner of United Nations Environment Programme’s (UNEP) annual International Children’s Painting Competition. Thirteen-year old Li Pik Hei’s painting, based on the competition theme, “Climate Change: Our Challenge”, beat more than 6500 entries from Asia Pacific to make her the winner of this year’s competition. This is the third consecutive time that China takes the Asia Pacific prize for the painting competition. The Asia Pacific winning entry was by 8-year-old Adrian Lau Tsun Yin in 2007 and Angie Chan in 2006. All three children are from Hong Kong, China.

The painting competition is an annual event that is jointly organized by UNEP, Bayer AG, the Japan-based Foundation of Global Peace and Environment (FGPE) and Nikon Corporation.

Hei’s painting illustrates scenes of environmental destruction from industry and waste and depicts children from different parts of the world showing how to prevent more harm to the environment.

“I used the idea of puzzles in my painting to express the importance of everybody's contribution to environmental protection.Like pieces of a puzzle, we should all work at protecting the environment until we get that 'perfect puzzle'” she said.

Hei’s painting, along with other winning entries, will be exhibited at various venues in Japan and other countries and the websites of UNEP and Foundation of Global Peace and Environment (FGPE).

“Among kinds of environmental problems, the climate change is the most serious and common issue influencing all lives and natures on the planet.  We have to combine every effort and wisdom to confront the issue for future generations.  Our children are exactly the future.  They are very sensitive to feel the environmental conditions.  We can see their gloom and fear for the future on their unique and creative paintings.  On the other hand, they genuinely hope that their future is becoming brighter than they believe in.  They strongly appeal to the global community and leaders that everyone should take actions now.  We sincerely hope that people around the world will be encouraged by children’s paintings to work out a solution to our common threat, the climate change.” Tomoko Yano, Secretary General of FGPE said.

Hei’s entry will move on to the global level, to compete with entries from other regions – West Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and North America. The winners of the global competition will be announced at the 2009 Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment in Daejeon, Korea in August 2009.

“This year’s competition offered children a way to think of actions to combat climate change and they have responded overwhelmingly by creatively showing simple actions we all can take. They have artfully shown that there are actions we can take now,” said Mr. Young-woo Park, Regional Director.

"The children's pictures are giving one common message to all other people: safeguard our planet Earth", points out Michael Schade, Senior Vice President of Bayer AG. "We are very happy about the great popularity of the painting competition which is one of the most important projects of Bayer's partnership with UNEP. Sustainable development is an integral element of our corporate policy and with our social commitment we strive to contribute to a good future of ourselves, our children and the coming generations."

“The deterioration of the global environment　is becoming more serious year after year, and that casts dark clouds over our children and the coming generations”, says Yoshimichi Kawai, Director, Member of the Board and Executive Officer at Nikon Corporation.  “This year Climate Change Conference (COP15) will take place in Copenhagen.  We appeal, together with our partners, the importance of the global environmental preservation to people in the world through the children’s paintings, and we hope they will start taking an action to prevent climate change.”

Hei wins a US$1,000 cash prize and all expense paid trip for her and an accompanying adult to the 2009 Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment in Daejeon, Korea in August 2009.

The selection of the regional winner was done by a Jury Committee made up of UNEP staff, representatives from Bayer Thai Co. Ltd., Nikon, and an art teacher.

For More Information:

Satwant Kaur, Regional Information Officer, UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific,
E-mail: kaur@un.org, Tel: +662 2882127, Mobile: +6683 9086000

NOTES TO EDITORS

The regional winners of the 18th International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment are being announced to mark World Environment Day on 5 June 2009. This year’s theme was Climate Change: Our Challenge. Children aged 6-14 were invited to express through painting actions they can take to reduce the impact of climate change such as using renewable energy, introducing energy saving light bulbs at home, sharing vehicles and using public transport, planting trees etc.

This annual competition is jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Bayer, the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), and Nikon. The painting competition has been held since 1990 and in that time has received over 200,000 entries from children in over 100 countries.

Each UNEP Regional Office (Bahrain, Bangkok, Geneva, Panama, Washington DC, and Nairobi) chose regional winners and also submit paintings to the global selection. The selection of the global winners is by a Jury comprised of representatives of all organizers. These global winners will be announced at the 2009 Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment in Daejeon, Korea in August 2009.

All regional and global winners will receive a cash prize (US$1,000 for the regional winners, US$2,000 for the global), and additional special prizes. The regional and global winners will also travel to the 2009 Tunza International Children’s Conference on the Environment in Daejeon, Korea. Eventually all paintings submitted to the competition will be stored at the National Museum of Ethnology in Osaka, Japan.

The International Children’s Painting Competition on the Environment is part of UNEP's TUNZA strategy for children and youth. TUNZA is a word in Kiswahili that means to “treat with care”.  The programme aims to provide young people with information and tools on how to “treat Mother Earth with care” and how to act for a better word.

UNEP ROAP News Release 09/03