On Saturday, May 22nd, we attended the award ceremony for the art and literature competition Let Them Live, which we also sponsored. How did it all go?
We rarely resist opportunities to support meaningful projects. The combination of an educational message, involving children, and an animal theme is a sure bet. And that was the case with this competition organized by students of the Faculty of Business and Economics at Mendel University and ZOO Brno, the home station of our adopted panda.
The competition focused on environmental protection as part of the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) campaign, which aims to raise public awareness about the importance of local biodiversity. It focuses primarily on our fauna and flora and tries to show how much we have in common with animals. This was already the 4th year, so the organizers had plenty of experience, and it showed.
The goal of the competition was to raise awareness among schoolchildren about the need for environmental protection and lifestyle changes. Children who wanted to participate had to paint their favorite animals, invent a fairy tale featuring endangered animals, or write a story related to the campaign.
Contestants could focus on species we see commonly in nature or animals that once lived in our region and, in their opinion, should return. There were no limits to imagination, so we saw pictures of foxes and storks as well as stories about dinosaurs or snowdrops.
Prizes from panda paws and parrot claws
The award ceremony took place on the occasion of Earth Day at the Brno Zoo. Together with our plush mascot, we arrived at the lecture hall, warmly congratulated all the winners, and revealed a little bit about our new upcoming project. (Follow our Facebook, you will learn more soon too!)
The creations were truly impressive, and we admire the jury for being able to choose the winners at all. You can view all the works, including those from a boy with a concentration disorder whose drawing likely took the most effort and who was awarded a special prize, here.
After receiving their diplomas and prizes, which included a Bagalio package, the children willingly took photos with our panda. Although it is not a typical inhabitant of Czech fauna, it is also an endangered species, and the children loved it. We were all able to admire a tame parrot and even try feeding it. This was followed by an educational entertainment program at the Brno Zoo, which broadened the children's horizons even further.
We congratulate all the winners once again and hope they enjoyed their prizes. We keep our fingers crossed for the organizers in spreading the idea of the need to protect the environment and look forward to seeing you again sometime.
