The “Denmark in Your Eyes” competition contest is a unique opportunity to reach out to the young generation in Hanoi and is a valuable addition to the ongoing governmental cooperation programs within the framework of the Green Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Denmark.

The Vietnam-Denmark Friendship Association (VIDAFA) and the Danish Embassy, the two co-organizers of the painting competition, jointly announced the names of sixty-two individual winners and three team winners at an award ceremony in Hanoi on April 2.

This year's awards ceremony, themed "Green Future," brought together leaders and representatives of local agencies and organizations that supported the contest, as well as a number of contest winners, along with their parents and teachers.   

Speaking at the event, Nicolai Prytz, Ambassador of Denmark to Vietnam, said that a key area of cooperation between Vietnam and Denmark is green growth and the transition to a more sustainable society.

Danish Ambassador to Vietnam Nicolai Prytz delivers the event's opening speech.  Photos: The Embassy of Denmark

“The Denmark in Your Eyes contest is a unique way for us to reach beyond the ongoing government-to-government cooperation of our Green Strategic Partnership and engage the children and youth of Vietnam. I am very encouraged by the 21,500 submissions to the contest. They are a testament to the great interest and strong commitment of the young Vietnamese generations in a green future for all,” Nicolai Prytz stressed.

“Their messages and stories remind us of the importance of involving, empowering and mobilizing young generations to take action and make the changes they want to see in their communities and the world around them,” the Ambassador added.

The contest received tremendous support from primary and lower secondary school students across Vietnam. More than 21,500 paintings and artworks were submitted from 256 schools and clubs in 42 provinces and cities.

The high artistic quality of the entries, as well as the creative ideas behind them, made it very difficult for the judges to select the best paintings to be awarded. The jury consisted of renowned painters from the Kim Dong Publishing House and the Thieu Nien and Nhi Dong newspapers.

The grand prize went to Chu Ha Giang, a 6th grade student from Nguyen Gia Thieu School in Hanoi.

Chu Ha Giang, a 6th grader from Nguyen Gia Thieu Secondary School in Hanoi, wins a special prize in the competition with her work "Crying from the Sea".

"Marine pollution is a risk facing our world. With 'A Call from the Blue Ocean', I would like to call for our collective efforts to save the ocean. Even small and simple actions will count," said Giang at the award ceremony.

Other 61 individual awards, including two first prizes, three second prizes, 6 third prizes and 50 encouragement prizes, were given to students from primary and lower secondary schools in 22 different provinces and cities in Vietnam, from Ha Giang in the far north to the southernmost province of Kien Giang. The Union of Friendship Organizations of Can Tho City, Sentia Inter- level School and Nguyen Sieu Primary School in Hanoi won the team prizes.

The first "Denmark in Your Eyes" contest was held in 2016, when Vietnam and Denmark celebrated the 45th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations. Since then, it has been held every year or two with a new theme, but always with a strong focus on environmental issues.

The grand prize winner will receive a camera and a set of LEGO toys, books and paint sets. The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention winners will receive LEGO toys, books, and paint sets.