British, Nigerian students share top prize in Commonwealth art competition

Elizabeth Randall, 17, from the United Kingdom, this week received joint top prize in a new art competition organised by the Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP).

The other winner was Sonde Emmanuel, 19, from Nigeria, who was awarded his prize in April 2007.

In keeping with the theme of the competition, the winning designs will be used in a new CYP publication on youth empowerment.

“CYP received many impressive entries from young people from around the Commonwealth,” said Dr Fatiha Serour, Director of Youth Affairs Division at the Commonwealth Secretariat.

Elizabeth travelled from Manchester to the Secretariat in London, to personally receive her prize from Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon on 29 May 2007.

Each winner was awarded a cheque for £200 and a certificate from the Secretariat.

“This was my first attempt at such a competition and I am very glad that I won. Young people don’t get these opportunities often,” said Elizabeth.

“Drawing is my hobby, but for other young people who want to pursue it as a career, I can only tell them to keep practising. You can’t get worse and you might even get better!” she added.

The CYP ran the competition from January to March inviting young people from the Commonwealth between the ages of 15 to 29 to produce artwork that could be used in a new publication entitled ‘The Plan of Action for Youth Empowerment’.

The book is a framework document for CYP’s work and will be distributed across the Commonwealth.

“Youth empowerment gives young people a chance to have their views listened to, and not have to sit back and be told what to do by adults. I think this is important and that is why I participated in the competition. If young people have ideas about how to make things better, why not listen?” Elizabeth said.

More than 40 entries were received and the artwork was judged on the interpretation of the theme as well as technical quality.

“I'm most interested in comics or cartoons, and recently I’ve been doing portraits. I thought it would be great to compete with talents from different places,” said Sonde.

The runners-up were from India, Kiribati, Nigeria, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the United Kingdom.

Elizabeth and Sonde will also be acknowledged at the official launch of the publication and have their work featured on the Secretariat’s website.

Secretariat Links:

• Commonwealth Youth Programme
• Winners of CYP Art Competition announced