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National pupils’ contest for paintings, sculptures, photographs and collages on "If trees could talk" was announced by the Central Bank of Cyprus in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Children's Museum of Art in Greece. "We want to early awaken in children the responsibility for environmental protection and make them acquainted with the dangers posed by climate change for the future of the earth," said especially for GRReporter Natasha Kourkatiotis who is in charge of the project.
 
"We selected a subject on trees and forests because 2011 has been designated the Year of forests and their conservation and children will be able to express their own views on the subject through art." The tradition to plant a tree when a baby is born shows the direct link between human life and health, longevity, endurance that forests symbolize. The children's contest is held for the third year as the subject in 2009 was The bottom of the sea through its water goggles and Earth my home in 2008. About 1500 students of all ages participate on the average every year and most keen are the kids in primary schools. Individual children and entire classes are invited to participate and present a project for the competition. All wishing to participate in the contest should e-mail application form to the bank and the deadline for sending works is the end of February next year.

The final stage of the competition will be held before the end of the school year in May 2011 and all works will be presented for four days in the exhibition hall of the Syntagma metro station in downtown Athens. All participants in the contest will be awarded a medal for participation. The three most impressive works in each age category (primary school, secondary and high school) will receive certificates and small gifts. On one hand, the competition gives the children the opportunity to express their creative self and on the other, it teaches in them a sense of responsibility towards the environment, said Natasha Kourkatiotis and expressed hope that this year's willingness to participate will be even greater.