The annual competition aims to foster creativity and maximise awareness on sustainability issues.

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

The 13th Environmental Drawing Competition, organised by the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), was a huge success as more than 162,000 students from 566 schools and 106 student members of the EEG participated in the competition. The annual event concluded with an award ceremony on Sunday.

The annual competition aims to foster creativity and maximise awareness on sustainability issues, guiding the students towards developing a sense of care and respect for the environment through form of art.

EEG Chairperson Habiba Al Marashi said that this year’s competition touched upon topics such as Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action and Life on Land. The 2019 cycle of the competition also witnessed the highest ever participation rate from schools, since its inception.

Art as a form of expression allowed the students, from both regular and determined schools in all of the seven Emirates, to create a lasting and powerful impact, moving the viewers and fostering environmental action.

The award ceremony commended the talented young artists and exhibited the 41winning entries with strong environmental messages, creating a bright and colourful scene. Each of the marvellous drawings held a unique perception of the current environmental challenges and demonstrated hope, which the youth holds for a sustainable future.

The panel of judges was led by famous Emirati artist Dr Najat Makki, who has been at the forefront of the Emirati art scene for nearly 40 years.

“The environmental drawing competition is of great importance as it focuses on the students of schools of different nationalities, highlighting the effective relationship between them and the environment. It also showcases the interest of the officials in the UAE and the mission of the Emirates Environment Group in their endeavour to engage and educate the community by creating these platforms for participation, dialogue and expression for the next generation. It is built on a system that encourages individuals to contribute towards the problems affecting our planet,” Dr Najat Makki.

This year the competition included three wide-ranging and powerful themes, which were orchestrated in line with the most current environmental issues and developments.