In response to the diverse June environment occasions – World Environment Day (June 5th), Vietnam Sea and Islands Week (June 1-8th), World Oceans Day (June 8th) with highlight theme “Joining hands for plastic-waste-free oceans”, on June 7^th in Ha Long City, Centre for Marinelife Conservation and Community Development (MCD) collaborated with Ha Long City People’s Committee to organize the Awards Ceremony for the contest “Spread blue actions – Reduce plastic wastes”.

The ceremony attracted representatives from Halong city and Quang Ninh province, such as Halong Bay Management Board, leaders of Halong People’s Committee and its affiliates Division of Natural Resources and Environment, Division of Education and Training, Public Services Management Board, Youth Union, Women’s Union, and representatives from the People’s Committee of Bach Dang, Hong Hai, and Hong Gai wards.

Besides that, representatives of the two sponsors of the activity – USAID/DIG and Dow Chemical Vietnam – also joined the ceremony and shared remarks.

The ceremony was dedicated to highlighting and celebrating outstanding initiatives on plastic waste reduction by the champions (groups and individuals) among the 30 contest entries that reached the final phase of the contest, noting that many contestants are students supported by their teachers and parents.

The contest “Spread blue actions – Reduce plastic waste” was launched on April 10, 2020 and received 253 entries in over a month, with 61 entries passing the preliminary round and posted on the contest Fanpage.

The Organising Committee verified the number of interactions on the contest Fanpage to select the 30 top entries with the highest interaction score to enter the finals where the Board of Judges evaluated these articles according to criteria on content, presentation, and influence.

50 per cent of the final score came from the Fanpage interactive points, with the other half being the average score given by the judges.

The ceremony announced and gave awards to 6 outstanding entries that won the Prizes and honored the champions (individuals and groups) winning the awards.

Photo: The representatives of MCD, Division of Natural Resources and Environment, and two donors with the group that won the First Prize

The only First Prize was awarded to a group of three students: Nguyen Xuan Thu, Vu Van Long and Nguyen Thi Phuong from Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment.

Photo: Ms.Trieu Thi Hong Hanh and Ms. Khong Phuong Nhung – the representatives of Youth Union with the contestants that won the Second Prizes

The 2 Second Prizes were awarded to Tran Quoc Toan Primary School and 13-year-old Nguyen Hoang Minh Khoi from Ha Long city.

Photo: Mr. Pham Tien Dung – the representative of Division of Education and Training and Ms. Nguyen Thi Nguyet Que – Principal of Cao Thang Secondary School with the contestants wining Third Prizes

The 3 Third Prizes were awarded to 8-year-old Nguyen Ho Hai Lam from Hanoi; to a group of students from Class 6H of Cao Thang Secondary School; and to 11-year-old Nguyen Xuan Truong  from Ha Long city.

Photo: Mr.Nguyen Duc Vinh (DIG/USAID), Mr. Nguyen Hoai Son (Dow Chemical Vietnam) giving awards of the youngest contestant winning a Third Prize along with the most impressive presentation and the highest-scoring from judges

Notably, the above award recipients also received additional awards: the Prize for the youngest contestant; the Prize for the entry that mobilized the most participants; The Prize for the most unique entry; and the Prize for the most impressive presentation.

Besides, the Organising Committee also handed out two special awards to the contestant with the highest score from the Judges to 8-year-old Nguyen Ho Hai Lam from Hanoi and the contestant having the highest interaction score to 13-year-old Nguyen Hoang Minh Khoi from Halong.

Photo: Ms.Ho Thi Yen Thu – Deputy Director of MCD giving key note speech

Ms. Ho Thi Yen Thu – Deputy Director of MCD said: “The Contest Spread blue actions – Reduce plastic waste aims at identifying and promoting initiatives on solid waste reduction, especially domestic and public plastic waste, with priority given to those that can be applied in areas along the coast of Halong Bay. We are very happy that the contest has attracted many participants who love Halong Bay, love the environment, and are very innovative”.

Photo: Mr. Tran Ngoc The – Vice Director of Ha Long City Division of Natural Resources and Environment

At the ceremony, Mr. Tran Ngoc The – Vice Director of Ha Long City Division of Natural Resources and Environment shared “We highly appreciate the support of MCD for Ha Long city on environmental protection. This contest is a practical activity to increase the interest and understanding, and promote action of the community on adressing waste pollution, especially marine plastic waste pollution”. 

This activity was organized within the framework of the Project “Lessons learnt from demonstrated municipal plastic waste management in World Heritage Ha Long Bay, Vietnam” funded by USAID through the MWRP program managed by DIG. The project is implemented by MCD in coordination with the partners in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh province during the period from 2018 to the end of 2020. It aims at the primary goal to improve the effectiveness of the current plastics waste collection, sorting and treatment processes, hereby contributing to a significant reduction of plastics pollution of the UNESCO World Heritage Ha Long Bay marine environment. This activity was supported by the initiative “Youth led initiatives to support raising awareness of key stakeholders on marine plastic waste for Ha Long Bay World  Heritage”, sponsored by Dow Chemical Vietnam, mobilizing university volunteers participation through the MCD Blue Lighthouse program.

For more detail information: https://www.vir.com.vn/awards-ceremony-of-environment-minded-contest-closed-76888.html