UNICEF on Wednesday released a new cartoon animation addressing climate change, coinciding with the very special celebration of the 50th anniversary of ‘Earth Day.’

The cartoon’s title is Hai Moc Nhi – named after the hero, an amazing girl with an incredible superpower that allows her to awaken and unite people to fight against climate change to save the earth, the UN body said in a press release the same day.

The animation is based on the original story and drawings of 12-year-old Nguyen Ngoc Gia Han from Vietnam. 

“Through the story, I would like to tell everyone that climate change is threatening our lives and we can only protect ourselves by joining hands with each other,” Han said.

“Hai Moc Nhi’s superpower – our superpower – is the power of the Dragon Father and Fairy Mother, and the superpower of the ocean and forest, which is already inside all Vietnamese people.”

Global evidence confirms that children are most vulnerable to and most concerned about climate change and environmental degradation.

Vietnam is among the top countries affected by climate change, which has the potential to undermine many of the gains we have made in child survival and development – and poses even greater risks ahead.

“On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the unfolding COVID-19 crisis has taught us some valuable lessons on how we honour and protect the only earth we have,” said Rana Flowers, UNICEF representative in Vietnam.

“It has reminded us of how precious life is, how important clean air is to our lungs, how vital access to clean, running water is to our health, to protecting us from disease – the world can come together to solve big problems, but we need to act today to ensure the future of our children.”   

Han won the third prize of the Superhero Comic Contest, jointly organized in 2019 by UNICEF, the Vietnam Disaster Management Authority under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, and the Young Pioneer Council with support from Vietnamese artist Le Cat Trong Ly.

The contest called on children across Vietnam to create a superhero that could save the earth and fight against natural disasters and climate change.

Hai Moc Nhi was selected by DeeDee Animation Studio, a well-known company based in Vietnam, to transform the story into an animation video as part of their support for UNICEF.

“Children’s imagination is without any limit,” said Dang Hai Quang, founder and executive director of DeeDee Animation Studio.

“Turning their ideas into visual images is both exciting and challenging.

“With this animation, we hope to contribute to raising awareness of the public about climate change as well as encouraging children to be creative to express themselves.”  

The first winning artwork of the Superhero Comic Contest will also be transformed into an animation film to be revealed later this year.

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