Writer Nguyễn Nhật Ánh (second from right) won the grand prize at the first Dế Mèn Awards last year. Photo thethaovanhoa.vn

HÀ NỘI — Compositions, art performances and entertainment programmes created by children or for children have the chance to compete at the Dế Mèn Awards. 

The awards launched by the Vietnam News Agency's Thể Thao Văn Hóa (Culture & Sport) newspaper aims to honour the best works by and for children. 

Entitled Dế Mèn (Cricket), the award is named after the character in one of the most popular stories for children in Việt Nam, Dế Mèn Phiêu Lưu Ký (Diary of a Cricket) by Tô Hoài. 

The awards will include one grand prize named Hiệp Sĩ Dế Mèn (Cricket Knight) and several other awards called Khát Vọng Dế Mèn (Cricket Desire). 

The Cricket Knight award will honour the lifetime achievements of authors who have contributed to work for children.  

The awards will be presented for works that meet either of these two criteria: compositions, art performances and entertainment programmes by children or composers, or art performances and entertainment programmes for children.

International authors with works created for Vietnamese children are also eligible.

Eligible works must be announced or discovered from May 15 of last year to May 15 of 2021. Literature drafts created within this period can be sent to the contest. 

The entries can be in one of several forms like literature, cinema, music, arts, theatre, photography, comic, traditional games or electronic games.

The judges will receive all entries by photo, video clip and book at 11 Trần Hưng Đạo Street in Ha Noi or via email to giaithuongdemen@thethaovanhoa.vn. 

At the first Dế Mèn Awards last year, writer Nguyễn Nhật Ánh won Cricket Knight for his book Làm Bạn Với Bầu Trời (Being Friends with the Sky) and four Cricket Desire awards were given to primary school students Nguyễn Đới Chung Anh and Cao Khải An, teacher Nguyễn Chí Ngoãn, and musician Nguyễn Văn Chung. 

The awards ceremony will be held on Children's Day on June 1. — VNS