Climate change is affecting nature all around the world. The developed world and big nations, and adults, are largely responsible for climate change. But it is the children who are bearing the brunt. Children from all over the country have drawn pictures and taken photographs, depicting the world which the adults are leaving behind for them, and also what kind of world they want.
The children have used their canvasses and cameras to express their thoughts on climate change issues in the photography and art competition, 'Artivism: Climate Change in My Eyes.' Over 500 children of the country took part in the competition. They were short-listed to 40 and finally four children were declared winners.
The competition was organised by Save the Children in Bangladesh and the monthly magazine Kishor Alo. The names of the winners were declared through a virtual event on Sunday. The prizes will be delivered to the winners. Also, the top 40 contestants will receive certificates.
The organisers of the competition, at the virtual event, said that the contest began on 2 August. It had been arranged to create a platform for children to be heard. Similar initiatives will be organised in the future.
Mostafa Nurul Abbas, a Class 6 student of Brahmanbaria Gas Field School, was the winner of the art competition in Group A. Jahra Tasfia Reza of Class 10, Viqarunnisa School stood first in Group B. In Group A of the photography competition, Mahmudul Hasan Tanzeem of Bindubashini Government Boys High School, Tangail, stood first. The winner in Group B was Ushoshi Momen, an A Level student of Mangrove School, Dhaka. Nusrat Sayem was the moderator of the virtual event.
Speaking at the event, Save the Children in Bangladesh's country director, Onno van Manen, said the children very honestly depicted the climate change issue through their drawings and photography and that was the strength of the competition. In this manner, it is the children who will show the way out of this problem.
Judge of the competition, writer and editor of the humour magazine Unmad, Ahsan Habib, said all the pictures drawn by the children deserve prizes. They draw what they believe. It was very difficult to select a winner. The children even indicated that the impact of climate change will be even more complex in the future. He said a solution may even emerge from children through such competitions. He called upon the organisers to organise a similar competition in a cartoon and comics format too.
Editor of Kishor Alo, writer Anisul Hoque, said that new ideas had come from the children through this initiative. It encouraged children to think about issues like climate change. An effort will be made to convey these thoughts of the children to world leaders.
Save the Children in Bangladesh's country director (programme development and quality) Reefat Bin Sattar was also a judge of the competition. He said that this competition was arranged to see through the eyes of children the impact of climate change. The developed world was responsible for climate change. Adults are talking about this, taking decisions, but the children are the ones who are paying the price of climate change.
Save the Children in Bangladesh's senior manager (regional advocacy and campaigns, Asia), Taskin Rahman, also a judge of the contest, said such competitions were being held in nine countries of Asia, including Bangladesh. The four winning pictures will be displayed at the event, 'Youth for Climate: Driving Ambition' to be held from 20 to 30 September in Italy.
MAP Photo Agency's photographer Mahmud Rahman was a judge of the contest. The children with this responsibility were Safa Zerin and Mohaimin Sultana.