The contest was launched in November 2014 by ENV with an aim to encourage the public not to consume wildlife products including rhino horn, tiger bone, pangolin scales and bear bile, as well as taking action to end the illegal wildlife trade.
Three months after its launch, the competition attracted the participation of 1,983 schools and art clubs from 58 provinces and cities across the country. The jury, consisting of representatives from the Department of Nature Conservation (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development), the US Embassy in Hanoi, Freeland, Hanoi University of Industrial Fine Arts and ENV, selected 13 winning works from a total of more than 155,000 entries.
Environment Unit Chief at the US Embassy in Hanoi, Douglas O'Neill, said that the huge number of entries reflected the support of the community, inspiring social action to save Vietnam’s wildlife.
The fight against trafficking in wildlife cannot be won without the support and active participation of the community, he affirmed, adding that the US government is implementing extensive measures to combat illegal wildlife trade globally in collaboration with the Vietnamese government and non-governmental organisations.
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Singer My Linh, ENV Bear Ambassador, presents the second prize to winners at the ceremony. (Image: Nghiem Trung)
Speaking at the ceremony, ENV Deputy Director Bui Thi Ha talked about wildlife in crisis in Vietnam and the need for public involvement to tackle the issue.
Vietnam’s biodiversity is under serious threat from poaching and the illegal wildlife trade, driven by the demand for products from wild animals. In 2010, the last Javan rhino in Vietnam was killed for its horn. At the current rate of hunting and trade, tigers are likely to be the next species declared extinct in Vietnam - according to experts, Vietnam currently has only 30 tigers left in the wild.
However, Vietnamese people are taking a positive stance on preventing illegal trafficking of wild animals. A recent survey conducted by ENV showed that demand for bear bile has decreased by 61% in the last five years. From 2005 until now, ENV has recorded nearly 8,500 cases of wildlife crimes, many of them reported by the public via the ENV wildlife crime free hotline 1800 1522. Of the total cases reported and transferred to agencies by ENV, 42% have been addressed successfully.
The art competition was part of the Asia’s Regional Response to Endangered Species Trafficking Programme funded by USAID, a coalition of non-governmental organisations and other agencies, including ENV and Freeland, working together in Southeast Asia and China to stop the illegal trade of wildlife.
In addition to the winning paintings, many other outstanding pieces of artwork will be used at public events and in media campaigns by ENV in the future to urge the public not to purchase wildlife products.
The following are some paintings from the contest:
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Two third prize paintings by Nguyen Van Dong (right) and Pham Khoa Vy
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A second prize artwork by Tran Phu Cuong
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A first prize painting by Vo Thi Thao Hien
