Grand prize: The best painting was by Đỗ Khánh Linh from Thanh Hoa. VNS Photo Nguyễn Bình

HÀ NỘI — Đỗ Khánh Linh from the central province of Thanh Hóa won the Grand Prize at a national painting competition in Hà Nội yesterday run by the Danish Embassy and the Việt Nam-Denmark Friendship Association.

Linh, a third grade-pupil at Lê Văn Tám Primary School, beat nearly 62 other competitors in the final round of the competition with the theme I Draw My Dreams. 

"I did my painting with a pencil and coloured it with crayons," she said at the award ceremony. "My teacher and mother introduced Denmark to me and I studied about the country through books - Anderson’s Fairy Tales in particular."

First prize 1: A colourful painting by Nguyễn Minh Hoàng from Hà Nội.

Linh portrayed Vietnamese and Danish children riding bicycles and taking buses to protect the environment. She received a Canon camera and a set of Lego toys for her effort.

"I’m impressed by the creativeness of the children participating in the competition," said Ambassador Charlotte Laursen. "The use of bright colours and the stories about Denmark and Việt Nam portrayed in each painting. Their dreams are so happy, so lively and full of surprise".

The competition was part of a cultural exchange programme called Denmark In Your Eyes by the embassy and VIDAFA to celebrate the 46th anniversary of Việt Nam and Denmark diplomatic relations.

About 800 pupils from across Việt Nam participated in the competition. A total of  63 were awarded prizes. Two first prize were presented to Nguyễn Minh Hoàng from Hà Nội and Vũ Huyền Phương from the northern province of Bắc Giang.

First prize 2: Love and friendship by Vũ Huyền Phương from Bắc Giang.

Three second prizes went to Tô Anh Khôi from Hà Nội Educational Technology School; Nguyễn Lê Thu An from Thanh Hóa’s Lê Văn Tám Primary School and Dương Quyết Thắng from northern Bắc Giang’s Yên Sơn School.

Ngọc Lâm Primary School and Centre for Gifted Childhood Colours, both in Hà Nội, took the group prizes for the most competitors.

The first competition was launched last year. It became an annual event, attracting students from all primary schools in the country with support from Ministry of Education and Training, Kim Đồng Publishing House, Nhi Đồng Newspaper and others.

In space: A painting by Vàng Mí Tính from Hà Giang. It won an encouragement prize.

"I’m delighted to see the beautiful dreams of the students about conquering the sky, the ocean, the universe - and making friends with Danish children and children throughout the world," said Võ Tuấn Nhân representative of VIDAFA.

The Danish Embassy’s Culture Programme in Việt Nam has a budget of more than US$3 million. The programme focuses on promoting local culture and art and culture exchange between Việt Nam and Denmark. — VNS