On Thursday, December 29, 2022 at the premises of People’s Committee of Giao Thuy district, Nam Dinh province, the Centre for Marine Conservation and Community Development (MCD) in collaboration with local partners held the awards ceremony of the contest “Clean River – Blue Sea 2022”.

Attending the ceremony were more than 150 delegates including representatives from MCD, sponsor DOW Vietnam, national communication experts, Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) of Nam Dinh province and  its affiliate units Environmental Protection Sub-department, Division of Sea, Hydro-meteorology and Climate Change, Department of Education and Training, Nam Dinh Provincial Youth Union, Nam Dinh Provincial Women’s Union, Giao Thuy District People’s Committee and its Division of Natural Resources and Environment Department of Education and Training, Xuan Thuy National Park Management; Giao Thuy District Youth Union; related agencies, mass organizations and schools in Giao Thuy district, environmental organizations and businesses, press agencies, media experts and union members, youth and students in Giao Thuy district and in Nam Dinh province. The ceremony was dedicated to celebrating and spreading excellent initiatives that help raise awareness among stakeholders and the community on marine environmental protection, promoting good practices in solid waste reduction, collection, sorting and treatment and reducing plastic waste in waterways,  estuaries and coastal areas.

Scene of awards ceremony

The contest “Clean River – Blue Sea 2022” was launched from October 16, 2022. Within 1 month from the launch, the contest organizers received 600 entries, of which 70 entries passed the preliminary round and became shortlisted for entering the second round – online interaction and jury scoring. In accordance with the contest rules, the shortlisted entries were scored with 50% from the online interaction scores on the contest’s official fanpage and 50% from the expert judges’ scores. The Organizing Committee consolidated the scores for final ranking.

As a result, there were 16 excellent contest entries with highest scores and were announced and their authors were honored at the awards ceremony, include the following:

01 First Rank:

– No. 51- Group of authors Pham Huu Bien, Nguyen Anh Phuc; Bui Dinh Huy Hoang, students at Giao Thuy High School with the contest entry “a model of waste collection equipment on the river”;

Awarding the certificate of the first-rank entry

02 Second Ranks:

– No. 04 – Class 12A2, Giao Thuy B High School with the contest entry “Vietnam map made of recycled plastic bottle caps”.

– No. 69 – Group of authors Bui Minh Loan and Nguyen Thi Thu Phuong, teachers of Han Thuyen Secondary School with the contest entry “Recycling waste into useful objects” in the project “School arts”  

Awarding the certificate of the Second-ranks entry

03 Third Ranks:

–  No. 56 – Super Green group, Giao Thuy C High School with the initiative “Recycled clothes from nylon”.

– No. 15 – Blue Sky group, Quat Lam High School with the contest entry “For a Blue Planet”

– No. 63 – Class 10A4; Nguyen Hue High School with the contest entry “Tao Quan survey – polluted environment story”

Awarding the certificate of the Third-ranks entry

10 Consolation Ranks:

– No. 05 – Cao Linh Ngan, a student of Quat Lam High School with the contest entry “Green environment, colorful happiness”

– No. 02 – Class 10A1, Giao Thuy B High School with the contest entry “The row of recycled trees”

– No. 50 – Vu Manh Linh, Secretary of Thong Nhat Ward Youth Union, Nam Dinh City with the contest entry “Reducing plastic waste, recycling into meaningful pictures”

– No. 20 – A2K49 Group– Giao Thuy B High School with the contest entry “Regeneration of a DC motor”

– No. 48 – Class 12A6 of Nghia Hung High School with the contest entry “Current status of marine pollution in Ha Nghia Hung region”

– No. 55 – Class 10A3  of Giao Thuy C High School with the contest entry “Tables from bottles, chairs from tires”

– No. 29 – Hoang Thuc Quyen, a kindergarten girl from Nam Dinh City with the contest entry “Rescue the river”

– No. 01 – Ngo Van Chieu, Xuan Thuy National Park staff with the contest entry “Collect plastic waste, turn garbage into money”

– No. 30 – Group 1, Class 10A9 of Ngo Quyen High School with the contest entry “Let’s join hands to protect water”

– No. 40 – Class 10B5 of Giao Thuy A High School with the contest entry “Current status of river and sea pollution and remedial measures”

Awarding the certificate of the Consolation-ranks entry

The Organizing Committee also honored the authors of the entries that met special criteria:  

– Entry with the highest social media interaction scores: No. 56 entitled “Recycled clothing from Nilon” by Super Green Group of Giao Thuy C High School

– Entry with the most impressive presentation: No.20 entitled “Regeneration of a DC motor” by Group A2K49 of Giao Thuy B High School

– Youngest contestant: No.29, Hoang Thuc Quyen – 4 years old from Nam Dinh City with the contest entry “River Rescue”      

Awarding the certificate of the special criteria entry 

At the awards ceremony, Ms. Ho Thi Yen Thu – Standing Deputy Director of MCD remarked: “Marine plastic waste pollution is a severe issue whose solution requires great collective efforts. A majority of the marine plastic waste is originated from inland and transmitted into the sea through waterways. The contest “Clean River – Blue Sea 2022” aims to promote attention, understanding and mobilize participation of stakeholders, youth and local communities in environmental protection activities, reducing plastic waste; promote the practice and spread of solutions and tools to increase the efficiency of waste collection, sorting, treatment, and reduction in the rivers and coastal areas; contribute to more effective solid waste management and reduction of plastic waste pollution in the river and marine environment of Nam Dinh province. MCD is very happy that the contest has attracted the participation of many Nam Dinh people, especially the youth, who love their homeland and have good awareness and responsibility of environmental protection, have contributed their practial and feasible initiatives. These are invaluable sources of inputs for implementing the Marine Plastic Waste Management Action Plan of Nam Dinh Province and Vietnam.”

Ms. Ho Thi Yen Thu – Standing Deputy Director of MCD

At the ceremony, Mr. Pham Van Son – Director of Nam Dinh DONRE stated “On behalf of the organizers of the Contest “Clean River – Blue Sea 2022” in Nam Dinh, we would like to thank the support and cooperation of agencies and organizations in Nam Dinh province and Giao Thuy District for promoting and spreading the contest to the youth union members and the people in Nam Dinh. We especially appreciate the efforts of MCD and the support of donors for environmental protection in Nam Dinh. We believe that the contest has contributed to promoting the community’s awareness and positive actions toward solid waste management and combating plastic waste pollution. After the competition, we will create favorable conditions for the contest initiatives to be put into practice.” 

Mr. Pham Van Son – Director of Nam Dinh DONRE

This activity was organized within the framework of the project “Strategic Plastic Litter Abatement in the Red River” funded by Ocean Conservancy, and the affiliated component “Youth led initiatives in raising awareness and promoting action of key stakeholders and coastal communities for reducing plastic pollution in Nam Dinh Province” funded by DOW Vietnam, implemented by MCD in coordination with the Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DONRE) of Nam Dinh and other local partners.

The delegates take pictures with the contestants