As part of the celebrations of Ukraine’s Independence Day in 2017, we are running a drawing competition for children, entitled "My Ukraine" (“The Competition”).

The aims of the Competition are:
Foster a sense of national identity in Ukrainian youth in Australia;
Involvement in Ukrainian community life;
Activation of the creative potential in children and youth;
Support of talented youth;
Draw the Ukrainian community together;
Promote Ukrainian community schools.

The Competition is organised by the Embassy of Ukraine in Australia, with media support from the Ukrainian community newspaper "The Free Thought", and financial support from Dnister Ukrainian Credit Cooperative Ltd.

Terms of participation
1. The participants of the Competition will be children in three age categories:
4 to 6 years old;
7 to 10 years old;
11 to 18 years old.

2. Requirements for artworks:
The competitor can submit artworks in any graphic, picturesque form, executed in pencils, oil paintings, watercolors or gouache, or other materials. Artworks can be of any size.

3. The theme of “My Ukraine” is wide-ranging, so children can choose anything that is associated with their idea of Ukraine, e.g. traditional clothing, Ukrainian fairy tales, Ukrainian characters and symbols, Ukrainian landscapes, architecture, etc.

4. Submission: А photo of the artwork must be either emailed to [email protected] , or posted to the Free Thought / Вільна Думка Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Free-Thought-Вільна-Думка .

The administrators of the Free Thought Facebook page will create an album where everyone will be able to view the artworks and leave a comment.

5. The number of works submitted to the Competition from one individual is unlimited.
6. Contestants do not need to frame the artwork.
7. Submitted works should be necessarily identified by writing legibly in Ukrainian and English, preferably on the back of the work, or separately:
Title of the work;
Surname, name, and age of the author;
Residential address;
Contact telephone number or E-mail address (if available);
Name of the Ukrainian community school (optional).

8. Criteria for evaluation of the submitted work/s:
Compliance of the work with the Competition’s theme;
Embodiment of the creative idea and the author’s thoughts;
Originality and design;
Degree of autonomy of the author in performance of the work.

9. Submissions will be accepted until August 24, 2017.
10. Staff of the Ukrainian Embassy in Australia will compose the Jury.
11. The results will be announced no later than August 27, 2017.
12. The winners of the Competition will receive awards, and the best works will be published in the “Free Thought” newspaper.