Paint the Change Contest

A Paint the Change Contest was organized by WWF – India in collaboration with Sikkim University for generating awareness on Earth Hour on March 12, 2010 at Sikkim Government College and Namchi Public School. Earth Hour is a global event wherein people around the world voluntarily switch off their lights for an hour to show their concern about climate change.  

68 participants coming from 12 schools, five colleges and Sikkim University took part in the contest at Gangtok, and 38 students from seven schools and two colleges at Namchi, wherein they painted on the issue of climate change and its impacts they observed around them in Sikkim. Also participating in the event, though not as contestants, were professional artists from Oviya Art Circle, an institute that promotes art.   

The paintings will be judged by a panel consisting of Mrs. Usha Ganguli Lachungpa - Sr. Research Officer (FEWMD), Mr. CB Sunwar - Fellow (Academic) Sikkim University and Mr. Pankaj Thapa – Artist and Lecturer (Govt. College) on March 15^th and winners shall be announced by March 18^th. All the paintings of the students will form part of a mobile exhibition to be put up for Earth Hour Awareness, which will be displayed at various colleges, schools and also at MG Marg prior to the event falling on March 27^th 2010. Judgment will be done separately for college and schools students, and the three winners and two consolation prizes from each category will get a chance to be on an educational trip, to be organised within Sikkim. 

Participating students were also given a brief presentation on the significance of Earth Hour, and all students committed themselves by saying yes to the event by putting their thumb impression on the Earth Hour logo. Sikkim Express is the media partner and Voice of Sikkim is the web partner of the event.