UNHCR announces winners of National Student Contest on the power of sports
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is pleased to announce the results of its 27th National Student Contest. The contest, themed “We are all on the same team” highlights the transformative power of sports in changing people’s lives and communities around the world.
Just before the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, which will feature a Team Refugee each, students from all educational levels were invited to show how sports can bring people together, help refugee integration and promote fundamental human values.
Some 1,800 students, from 152 schools across Greece, including many refugee children, participated in the contest with individual or group sketches, posters or comics.
Τhe Contest was held online with authorization from the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sport. A special committee evaluated all entries for originality and creativity, awarding one entry per school level. The evaluation committee consisted of representatives from the Hellenic Olympic Committee, the Hellenic Theatre/Drama and Education Network, the Network for Children’s Rights, UNRIC – the UN Regional Information Centre (Office for Greece), Athens Comics Library and UNHCR, Ibrahim Al Hussein, a refugee Paralympic athlete from Syria, and Popi Kyrdi, teacher and head of the Cultural Programmes at the Primary Education Directorate of A’ Athens.
The winning students will receive as gifts ethically manufactured ‘dream balls’ designed by talented young people in UNHCR’s global Youth with Refugees Art Contest as well as smart activity trackers. All participants will receive commemorative electronic diplomas for their participation.
UNHCR and the members of the evaluation committee thank all the students and schools for participating in the Contest. Their entries highlighted the values of equality, teambuilding, fairness and respect.
The winning entries
Awarded poster entitled “Sports for all”, created by the students of the Kindergarten of Xylagani in Rhodope: Archontakis Christos, Pantazis Athanasios, Loumsi Michail, Loumsi Rafail, Llapousi Leonidas, Savanof Daniil Petros, Mitridis Panagiotis, Chazizi Aila, Patsouri Nefeli, Tasmanaki Vaia Athanasia, Prepakis Christos, Kipti Amet Gkioulseren, Niazi Oglou Aichan
In the Kindergarten category, the winning work is a group entry from the Kindergarten of Xylagani in Rhodope. The young students celebrated the achievements and resilience of Paralympic athletes and with their poster entitled “Sports for all”, they called for equal access to sports without prejudice and discrimination.
Awarded poster entitled “All together in the race for life”, created by the students of the 5th and 6th grade of the 4th Primary School of Tripoli in Peloponnese: Galazoula Apostolia, Mpravou- Mpezin Isavella, Ntrempou Smaragda, Xynou Ioanna, Papakosta Konstantina, Siakotou Ioanna, Tzanetopoulos Ilias, Frentzou Ariadni, Christopoulou Maria-Nektaria
The group poster “All together racing for life” from the 5th and 6th grade of the 4th Primary School of Tripoli in Peloponnese, won the prize in the primary education category. The poster depicts an athlete at the finishing line of the “race for” life, cheered by a group of children who represent “the future of any country, regardless of their colour, origin or religion”. As the winning students stress, the athlete crossing the line “symbolizes hope for all refugees around the world”.
Awarded comic entitled “The refugee child”, created by the students of the 2nd grade of the Junior High School of Kimolos island, Cyclades: Antivachi Emmanouela, Ventouri Maria, Karkoulakis Konstantinos, Logothetis Markos
Awarded comic entitled “The refugee child”, created by the students of the 2nd grade of the Junior High School of Kimolos island, Cyclades: Antivachi Emmanouela, Ventouri Maria, Karkoulakis Konstantinos, Logothetis Markos
Awarded comic entitled “The refugee child”, created by the students of the 2nd grade of the Junior High School of Kimolos island, Cyclades: Antivachi Emmanouela, Ventouri Maria, Karkoulakis Konstantinos, Logothetis Markos
In their winning comic at the Junior High School category, the students of the 2nd grade of Junior High School of Kimolos island, Cyclades, narrate the story of a refugee child. After fleeing to Greece, the child faces difficulties in integrating into school, but gradually and through the power of sports, he feels that he belongs again and becomes a professional basketball player. “Racism can be combatted with our friendship and soul. After all… we are all equal” the comic concludes.
Eva Papakonstantinou, 1st High School of Thermi, Thessaloniki
Awarded poster entitled “With an eye on refugees, hope and the future”, created by Aikaterini- Maria Agoranou, a 2nd grade student at the High School of Athens College.
Aikaterini-Maria Agoranou, a 2nd grade student at the High School of Athens College, and Eva Papakonstantinou, a 3rd grade student at the 1st High School of Thermi in Thessaloniki, share the prize for this school category. For her winning poster entitled “With an eye on refugees, hope and the future”, Aikaterini-Maria was inspired by the true story of Olympic swimmer and Syrian refugee Yusra Mardini, who was appointed the youngest-ever Goodwill Ambassador for UNHCR in 2017. In her poster, refugee athletes, like Yusra, supported by the International Olympic Committee and the UN, send a message of hope and unity.
On her part, Eva notes that her sketch, drawn in the colours of the rainbow flag, depicts different people from marginalized groups, cheering for their victory against stereotypes. Eva urges everyone to fight for equality and change, so that we keep the spirit of sports alive. “… After all, we may not all reach the podium, but in the end… we all even the score!” she concludes.
All awarded entries and the analytical results of the Contest are hosted at: https://www.unhcr.org/gr/student-contest-23.
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