UNEP calls for submissions
from around the planet
Nairobi, 17 July 2008-Climate Change:Our
Challenge is the theme of the 18th International
Children's Painting Competition, which was
launched today by the United Nations Environment
Programme(UNEP).
This year, the children's
paintings will focus on climate change,
from the impact of global warming on our
planet to concrete actions everyone can
take-such as using renewable energy and
energy saving light bulbs, sharing vehicles
and using public transport, planting trees,
and many other steps.
Children from around
the world aged 5 to 13 are encouraged to
take part in this global competition which
is gaining momentum every year. An unprecedented
15,550 entries from 90 countries around
the world were submitted for last year's
award.
The competition is organized
every year by UNEP and the Japan-based Foundation
for Global Peace and Environment(FGPE),
Bayer and Nikon Corporation. Since its creation
in 1991, the competition has received more
than 190,000 entries from children in over
100 countries.
One global winner and
six regional winners will be selected, with
a cash prize of US$ 2,000 for the global
winner and US$1,000 for the others. All
the winners will get a fully paid trip with
a chaperone to the 2009 Tunza International
Children's Conference.
This year's theme was
announced as the twenty winners of the 2008
UNEP Chinese Children's Painting Competition
visited Nairobi to receive their awards
from UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner.
The twenty children will take part in cultural
activities and visit environmental spots
in Kenya such as Maasai Mara and Lake Nakuru
to learn more about the environment. They
will also create a giant canvas painting
entitled "Our Environment" which
will be presented to the Executive Director
as a mark of their commitment to the environment.
Notes to editors:
Participants should
submit their paintings by 15 January 2009
to the UNEP office in their regions. Aside
from the global winners, there will be regional
winners for Africa, Asia and the Pacific,
West Asia, Europe, Latin America and the
Caribbean, and North America.
The regional winners
will be announced on 22 April 2009 and the
global winners will be announced at the
venue of the 2009 Tunza International Children's
Conference(venue and dates to be confirmed
later).
For more information on the competition,
including the full entry rules and conditions,
please visit:
http://www.unep.org/tunza/children/
For More Information, please Contact: Nick
Nuttall, Spokesperson/Head of Media
Or Anne-France White, Associate Information
Officer
+ More
Global Youth Leadership
Summit in New York
New York, 17 July 2008
- The People Speak, an initiative of the
United Nations Foundation, is hosting its
first Youth Leadership Summit, starting
on 17 July, with various events at the United
Nations, and in New York City. The summit
is focusing on climate change, and what
actions individuals can take to reduce emissions
in their communities. Convened in partnership
with the National Forensic League and IDEA,
the summit features presentations and hands-on
activities for high school students and
educators, including access to UN officials,
a UN tour and skill-building workshops.
The summit brings together nearly 200 high
school students and educators from 11 countries
to learn about how the United Nations addresses
the many facets of climate change. The schools
represented are the winners of a contest
where points were awarded for various projects
to raise awareness about the urgent need
to address climate change. Schools received
credit for holding a debate, creating public
service announcements, submitting a letter
to the editor in their local newspaper or
engaging with elected officials. The summit
runs through Saturday, 19 July.
For more information,
or to speak with conference organizers and
participants, please contact Victoria Baxter
