The comic contest “Save the Earth – Children create superhero to fight against natural disasters and climate change” was launched in Hanoi on Friday, aiming to educate and raise awareness among the young generation about human impacts on the environment and provide them with knowledge and skills of natural disaster risk reduction.
UNICEF Representative in Vietnam Rana Flowers speaks at the launching event. Photo: Ha An
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The contest is an opportunity for Vietnamese children from 10 to 15 years old to express their imagination about the connection between natural disasters and climate change and their daily lives through the drawings.
Children, who accounts for 28.3% of Vietnam’s population, are the most vulnerable to natural disasters both physically and mentally. Those of the ethnic minority communities are eventually the most heavily affected due to poor sanitation conditions and less caring from adults and language barriers, according to reports at the launching ceremony.
Deputy Genereal Director of the VDMA Nguyen Truong Son said that children need to be taught about knowledge and skills to mitigate the impact on them. They, in turn, become effective communicators to their parents, friends and community about prevention and response to environmental issues.
“The contest taps into their creativity and enables them to express how climate change and natural disasters impact them and how our lack of urgency and action as adults frustrates them,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF representative in Vietnam.
The event also saw the participation of Le Cat Trong Ly, a famous Vietnamese singer and music composer who partners with UNICEF to promote the contest nationwide.
The winner of the contest will have chance to work with professional team to promote their superhero into real life via video and comics books.
The submissions are currently opening until August 28 and the winners will be announced on October 4 after two rounds of selection and voting.
