On the morning of August 5, the Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports, in coordination with the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations and the Hanoi Peace Committee, held the launching ceremony of the International Children’s Painting Competition with the theme “I Love Hanoi – City for Peace” in 2025.
Modern dance performance at the opening ceremony
Attending the launching ceremony, on behalf of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, was Ms. Tran Thi Bich Huyen – Deputy Director General of the Department of Grassroots Culture, Family and Libraries; on behalf of international delegates were representatives of the Embassies of Cambodia, Laos and the Philippines, and the Russian Science and Culture Center in Hanoi; on behalf of the city of Hanoi was Mr. Vu Ha – Member of the Hanoi Party Committee, Standing Deputy Head of the Party Committee’s Commission for Publicity and Mass Mobilization; along with representatives of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, the Hanoi Association of Literature and Arts, the Hanoi Fine Arts Association, the Hanoi Center for Culture and Library; and representatives of international schools, primary schools, lower secondary schools, and clubs across Hanoi.
Delegates attending the launching ceremony
The competition is a meaningful and practical cultural and artistic activity celebrating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution (19/8/1945 – 19/8/2025) and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (2/9/1945 – 2/9/2025), while also looking toward the 71st anniversary of the Liberation of the Capital (10/10/1954 – 10/10/2025).
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai – Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations – affirmed that the competition is a healthy and beneficial artistic playground for Vietnamese and international children who are living and studying in Hanoi. It provides an opportunity for children to freely create and express their love for Hanoi – the City for Peace and a Creative City that is “Civilized – Cultured – Modern” – through paintings rich in emotion and imbued with humanistic messages about people, life, nature, love of peace, the spirit of solidarity, and opposition to war, poverty and epidemics.
Mr. Nguyen Nam Hai – Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Union of Friendship Organizations, launching the competition
According to the Organizing Committee, over many years of implementation, the competition has consistently received strong interest, affection and enthusiastic participation from a large number of children in the Capital, including the children of staff of embassies and international organizations, as well as students of international schools in Hanoi. The award-winning artworks not only impress the judging panel but also spread humanistic values to the public through the innocent and pure perspectives of children.
In addition to the painting competition, the event also offers opportunities for cultural exchange and mutual understanding through art performances and lively, meaningful sideline activities.
Khisamova Zainab, a Grade 7 student of Horizon International Bilingual School, of Russian nationality, responding to the competition
Participating in the 2025 International Children’s Painting Competition “I Love Hanoi – City for Peace,” each contestant may submit up to three paintings on white paper in A3 size. Each painting should have a short and concise title, and full information of the contestant must be written on the back of the artwork. Paintings may be created using various materials of the contestant’s choice, such as watercolor, crayons, poster paint, oil paint, markers, colored pencils, and others.
According to the plan, the Organizing Committee will receive submitted artworks from August 15 to September 10, 2025. The artworks will be evaluated through three rounds from September 11 to September 15, 2025. The closing ceremony, award presentation and exhibition of outstanding artworks are expected to be held in celebration of National Day on September 2 and the Liberation of the Capital on October 10.
Sharing at the ceremony, Khisamova Zainab, a Grade 7 student of Horizon International Bilingual School, of Russian nationality, expressed: “Today I am very happy to participate in the launching ceremony of the International Children’s Painting Competition together with Vietnamese and international friends. I find Hanoi to be a very beautiful and dynamic city, with friendly and open people. Hanoi is also a historic city with a history of more than 1,000 years, the heart of Vietnam, and it was recognized by UNESCO as a City for Peace 26 years ago. I hope that all children around the world can live in peace, be loved and share with one another. This competition gives me the opportunity to meet and interact with Vietnamese and international friends, and together express our love for Hanoi through paintings.”
Delegates performing the launching ceremony ritual
At the launching ceremony, the Organizing Committee also listened to, addressed and received feedback from experts, delegates and press reporters in order to further refine the judging regulations, ensure transparency and objectivity, and spread the positive values of the competition to a wide audience both domestically and internationally.
The Organizing Committee addressing feedback on the competition
The 2025 competition “I Love Hanoi – City for Peace” is expected to continue serving as a meaningful cultural bridge, inspiring love for the homeland, the country, and noble international spirit in the hearts of children.
Ngoc Tram