Iranian children win awards at Japan’s international environmental drawing contest

Pars Today – Eight members of Iran’s Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults have won the UNICEF Special Prize, three first prizes and four diplomas of honor at Japan’s 25th GQAI International Environmental Drawing Contest.

According to Pars Today, citing IRNA, the 25th edition of the contest, held in 2025 under the theme “Let’s Listen to the Voice of the Earth,” received 9,907 entries from 72 countries. Eight members of Iran’s Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults won awards in the international section.

The institute submitted 280 drawings by members of its cultural and artistic centers for this edition of the contest.

According to the announced results, nine-year-old Aylin Javanbakht from the institute’s center in Aghajari, Khuzestan Province, southern Iran, won the UNICEF Special Prize in the international section.

Benita Aliyari, nine, from Center No. 40 in Tehran; Ali-Sadra Ghadiri, 10, from Center No. 2 in Ardabil Province, northwestern Iran; and Naghmeh Mohammadnejad, 14, from the institute’s center in Ilam Province, western Iran, each won a first prize in the international section.

In the international diploma of honor category, the awards went to Sanaz Gorji, nine, from the institute’s center in Yazd Province, central Iran; Fatima Fathi, 14, from Center No. 2 in Khorramabad, Lorestan Province, western Iran; and 13-year-old Elai Ebrahimi and 15-year-old Sara Shakouri, both from the institute’s center in Maku, West Azarbaijan Province, northwestern Iran.

Japan’s GQAI International Environmental Drawing Contest aims to raise children’s and young people’s awareness of environmental issues and encourage them to express their views and concerns about the Earth and environmental protection through drawing.