TEHRAN – Nine Iranian children have been honored at the 22nd JQA International Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest in Japan.

Helma Hassanzadeh, Asma Najafi and Setareh Shaveisi are among the 45 winners of first prizes in the competition, which is organized every year by the Japan Quality Assurance Organization (JQA) and International Certification Organization Network (IQNet).

Shaveisi’s drawing has been published on the front cover of the JQA contest, which was held on the theme of “Choosing Eco-Friendly Lifestyles”.

A jury headed by Kinutani Koji, a Japan Art Academy member who is also an Emeritus Professor of Tokyo University of the Arts, selected the winners from about 6400 submissions from 61 countries.

The jury was also composed of Roberto Benes, Oishi Minako, Alexandru Stoichitoiu, Kobayashi Noriaki and Hosumi Masayasu.

“I want to give the first prize to every drawing here. Choosing one is really tough every time,” Kinutani said in a statement published by the organizers. 

“We, the judges, cherish each momentary encounter with each drawing and select the works that resonate with us,” he added.

“Children are the ones who strongly hold our original feelings… If we do so, wars and wasteful spending will cease to exist in the world,” he noted.

The Iranian children Ilia Qorbani, Nazila Jamlu, Masumeh Qasemi, Zahra Khorramdel, Elnaz Khodabakhshi and Sana Abdollahzadeh were awarded honorable mentions.

The children are all members of Iran’s Institute for Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults -- Kanoon.

Angela Wu, a fourteen-year-old girl from the U.S., was the top winner of the competition as she took home the Environmental Best Prize.

The International Best Prize was given to Zupan Sara from Slovenia, while the UNICEF Prize was awarded to Miriam Clus from Romania.

Adna Aisha Aufa from Indonesia and Muriuki Solomon Mwit from Kenya won the IQNet Special Prizes, and Ardino Joyce P. from Indonesia and Kao Yu Han from Taiwan won the JQA Special Prizes.

Meghan Nishith Gajjar from India received the special jury prize.

In the Japanese competition, the top award went to Tomita Aoi, while Fukuzato Kaori won the UNICEF Prize.

Suzuki Momoka and Okada Mikuru received the IQNet Special Prizes, and Hashimoto Iroha won the special jury prize.

Photo: Painting by the 12-year-old Iranian, Setareh Shaveisi, won a prize at the 22nd JQA International Environmental Children’s Drawing Contest in Japan.
 
MMS/YAW