International News Network
Published Date: Dec 3, 2013
Prize distribution ceremony
Sustainable Development Policy Institute on Monday held prize
distribution ceremony of inter-school poster/painting competition.
The
poster competition on "Chemicals Impacts on Environment and Children
Health – Beware of Mercury" was targeted at two levels: junior level
(class 5th – 8th) and senior level (class 9th – 12th, including O & A
levels students).
The competition encouraged youth to reflect upon
the issue of chemicals and their impacts on environment and health. It
was expected that the contest would lead to increased awareness and
garner greater support for protection of environment. Around 30 schools
in Rawalpindi and Islamabad participated in the competition, where about
400 entries were submitted to the organizers.
In senior
section, Yashaf Nadeem from Islamabad College for Girls won first prize,
Kanza Mussadiq from PAEC College Nilore got 2nd prize, Khadija Noor,
also from Islamabad College for Girls got the third prize, Uzair Munir
and Roha Sikander from Beaconhouse Margalla Campus got 4th & 5th
positions likewise.
In junior section, Maheen Kamran from
Brookfield ISSC Campus won first prize, Fatimah from Khaldunia High
School won second prize, Minahil Naveed of Beaconhouse Civil Lines
Rawalpindi won the third prize while Manahil Bahaarwa from Khaldunia
High School & Sulaiman Qazi from Beaconhouse School System won 4th
& 5th prize vice versa.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief
Guest, Dr. Ghulam Asghar Abbasi, Chief (Health Section), Planning
Commission of Pakistan said that there is need to sensitize the youth
creating awareness on scientific subject.
He congratulated the
prize winning students and encouraged them to excel in life and win
Nobel prizes for the country. He also suggested to the organizer of the
competition to arrange a screening of documentary about mercury disaster
in Minamata Japan a few years back.
Dr. Mahmood A. Khawaja,
SDPI Senior Advisor, briefed participants on adverse impacts of
chemicals and recent international negotiations to curb the use of
hazardous pollutant Mercury. He said that SDPI took an initiative to use
ART for advocacy and awareness raising on health and environmental
issues, especially among school students.