13-year-old girl from Bhutan wins Asian Children's Enikki Festa
May 23, 2023
Thimphu [Bhutan], May 23 : 13-year-old Sangay Choezom Sherpa, an eighth-class student at Damphu Middle Secondary School in Tsirang has emerged as the winner of the Mitsubishi Asian Children's Enikki Festa 2021-2022, The Bhutan Live reported.
Fierce competition was witnessed among participants from five schools across Bhutan. The Enikki Festa, organized by the National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan, is a biennial Art Festival aimed at fostering literacy education and promoting cultural understanding among children aged between 6-12 years in Asia.
Sangay Choezom Sherpa's artwork, covering five pages, showcases Bhutan's distinctive culture, everyday life, and the profound bond she shares with her family, The Bhutan Live reported.
Her artwork stood out in the Grand Prix Award category, earning her the first prize, which includes a cash reward of 2,000 US dollars and other valuable prizes. However, Sangay Choezom Sherpa was unable to attend the award ceremony held in Japan last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to The Bhutan Live report.
After winning the competition, Sangay Choezom Sherpa expressed her astonishment and overwhelming emotions. Her commitment to excellence was evident as she dedicated two days for completing her artwork. During her creative journey, Sangay Choezom Sherpa received invaluable assistance from her art club coordinator, as per The Bhutan Live report.
Sangay Choezom Sherpa has planned to utilize the prize money for her tertiary education while further nurturing her artistic skills, as per the news report The Bhutan National Commission for United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) chose Sangay's entry for the international-level competition after a screening process at the national level.
The judging criteria for the artworks included elements like originality, creativity, uniqueness, sensitivity, and variety. Sangay Choezom Sherpa by excelling in these elements proved herself as an exceptional young artist, bringing honour to her school, community and the entire nation.
