The 24th Annual World Children’s Picture contest

The IE-NO-Hikari Association in Japan is currently organising the 24th Annual World Children’s Picture contest. This contest has been orgainsed since 1993 with the aim of creating friendship among children all over the world as well as to assist in the development of their personality. The theme for this contest is that of the environment and participants are being asked to create pictures in relation to agriculture, farming, nature, local people or even people within the family environment.

The organisers will choose 120 winners from all the pictures submitted, 20 young people will be awarded a Gold Prize, 40 will be awarded a Silver Prize and 60 will be awarded a Bronze Prize. All the winners will be awarded a certificate of merit as well as a commemorative gift. Also, a further 80 participants will be awarded a certificate of merit and they will be given an Honourable Mention. Some drawings may also be used for promotional material in Japan.

In last year’s edition, Daniel Joseph Mercieca, a six-year-old from Malta received an Honourable Mention for his picture.

The competition is open to all children between the ages of six and 15 from all over the world. Each participant may not submit more than one picture and each picture must be the work of one young artist only. Any materials may be used in creating the artwork. The picture should not be larger than 728mm by 515mm and should not be thicker than 3mm.

All children, living in Malta and Gozo, interested in participating in this important event are required to submit their pictures to the Office of the Com- missioner for Children, 16/18, Tower Promenade, Sta Lucija, SLC 1019 by not later than Monday, 12 September at 1pm. The drawings will then be sent by the Office to the organisers in Japan. On a separate sheet of paper, all participants should write the title of the picture as well as their name, age, date of birth, address and contact telephone number.

The awards will be announced at the end of January 2017. For further information phone Suzanne Garcia Imbernon on 2148 5180; email: suzanne.gili@gov.mt