Eight grader Nguyen Tran Pha Le from Nha Trang City, located in south-central Vietnam, was announced the winner of the Superhero Comic Contest – Save the Earth in an event to celebrate the International Day for Disaster Reduction in Hanoi on Saturday.

Le, 13, created Super Artist, who has the super power to fix the environment with a simple paintbrush stroke, UNICEF Vietnam said in a press release.

Super Artist uses the super power to create more trees, defeat the ill forces and create more environmental activists who go around the world to help solve environmental problems and make the earth a beautiful place.

“I thank all those who made submissions,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF Vietnam representative.

“I want them to know their messages including those on environmental degradation, pollution, water quality and eradicating plastic have all been heard.

“Children are more affected by climate change, by the increasing natural disasters, and they want to be a part of addressing the challenges – of taking action today that protects the planet for their tomorrow.”

The Comic Contest, jointly launched in June this year by UNICEF, the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority and the Young Pioneer Council with support from Artist Le Cat Trong Ly, called on children across the country to create a superhero that can save the earth and fight against natural disasters and climate change. 

Over 16,000 submissions were received from girls and boys of different backgrounds including children from ethnic minorities and those with disabilities between 10 and 15 years old from 40 provinces in Vietnam.

Well-known comic illustrators and authors from Kim Dong Publishing House formed a jury board who helped identify the nine best submissions and the final vote was left to the online community following UNICEF on social media to choose the winner among those nine finalists. 

The winner will work in the coming weeks with professional comic artists to transform Super Artist into a real animation video and storybook.

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