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10-Year-old Nigerian Tops Africa List in UNEP's Painting Contest

The Guardian
Chinedu Uwaegbulam
Asst. Housing & Environment Editor
9th June '08

Maria Kassabian, a 10-year-old Nigerian, has been named among the winners of this year's United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) 2008 International Children's Painting Competition. Kassabian was announced as the Africa regional winner of the 17th edition of the competition.

Gloria IP Tung from Hong Kong also became the global winner and received her award along with the two global runners-up and five of the regional winners on World Environment Day from UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark at a ceremony in Wellington, New Zealand.

Children, aged six to 14 years old from across the world competed for the top places in the competition on the environment. They were asked to express their thoughts on climate change through the medium of art, by drawing and painting their vision of how each and everyone can lessen his footprint or minimise activities that adversely affect the climate, in line with the theme "climate change: Action we can take now to reduce our negative impact".

An unprecedented 15,550 entries from 90 countries around the world were submitted for this year's award. The children tackled the topic with flair and creativity, focusing on concrete actions such as using renewable energy, using public transport and planting trees.

To clinch the Africa regional prize, Kassabian's painting was selected from 288 entries from 17 countries, which qualified for the competition. The countries included Burundi, Cameroun, Cote d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Niger, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tunisia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.

The jury, comprising representatives of the organisers, concurred that her entry, showing the vision of two contrasting scenarios of a gloomy situation against the ideally restored environment, best portrayed the theme of the competition whilst capturing relevance to the region and creativity.

Kassabian, from the American International School in Abuja, painted the industrial causes of climate change, particularly air pollution with scenes of smoke rising from factories. She also portrayed renewable sources of energy that the continent should gear at in adapting to climate change and thus preventing an environmental crisis in Africa. She brought out tree planting which can be practiced, especially by the youth; and her feminine depiction of the earth's elements of wind and the sun reflected on women as being the backbone of the African society, hence the leaders in changing attitudes in order to protect our planet's resources.

Climate change is one currently of the most critical global challenges. Recent events have emphatically demonstrated our growing vulnerability to climate change. The impacts of climate change will range from affecting agriculture - further endangering food security - sea-level rise and the accelerated erosion of coastal zones, to increasing intensity of natural disasters, species extinction and the spread of vector-borne diseases.

The first and second runners up for the Africa region are Sonia Bhayani, seven years old, from Jalaram Academy, Kisumu in Kenya; and Shinghai Phineas Dumba, 13 years old, from Mkhosana Township in Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

All regional first prize winners and the global winner each received a cash prize and a trip for them and an accompanying adult to Wellington, New Zealand, the venue of the 2008 official World Environment Day celebrations. Other prizes include diplomas, plaques, T-shirts, stationary and drawing sets.

The winning paintings were exhibited at various venues in Japan, Germany, New Zealand and other countries, as well as on the websites of the competition organisers. In the past, painting competition entries have been used on UNEP posters, post cards, calendars, in UNEP publications or environmental magazines distributed worldwide.

Kassabian said: "In my painting, I was trying to portray two options of alternative energy: Solar and wind. The gas emitted from cars and factories pollutes the air and causes global warming.

"The solution is not to rely on gas any longer and to encourage the use of wind and solar energy. My dream is to save our very precious planet because we have no other place to go. I pray that our present leaders recognise the adverse effects, make wise decisions and take crucial measures immediately to save our planet."

The painting competition was organised by UNEP, the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment, and Bayer and Nikon. Since the annual competition began in 1991, more than 190,000 paintings from over 100 countries have been entered in the contest.

Other winners in Africa were recognised at a special ceremony during the World Environment Week 2008, alongside the winners of the Essay, Art and Photographic Competition currently being carried out in schools in Kenya. The best entries were also exhibited at a special prize giving ceremony in Nairobi last week.

The Children's Painting Competition is part of UNEP's TUNZA programme for children and youth. 'Tunza' means to treat with care and respect in Kiswahili. It is a wide-ranging programme to involve children and young people in environmental issues which aims to provide young people with information and tools on how to "treat Mother Earth with care" and how to act for a better world.

"The impact of climate change on Earth is one of the biggest challenges the international community faces, and the inspiration provided by these children is wonderful to see," said Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director.

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May we be strengthened with the ability, willingness and capabilities to be good ambassadors of Nigeria contributing to its uplifting, rather than its detriment. - Cxsm