The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) OzonAction Compliance Assistance Programme (CAP), Asia and the Pacific Office convened a virtual thematic workshop for National Ozone Officers from the Pacific Islands, South Asia and Southeast Asia Networks to further develop and advance the Asia Pacific Regional Ozone2Climate Art Contest. Held on 9 and 10 February 2022, this lively virtual workshop was attended by 81 participants (42 male and 39 female) including representatives from UNESCO and Mahidol University as partners of this contest.
“This workshop aims to update progress made by the network countries and brainstorm a plan to boost national outreach activities to the public to participate in the contest,” said Mr. Shaofeng Hu, UNEP Senior Montreal Protocol Regional Coordinator, during his opening remarks, which were also echoed by Ms. Akané Nozaki, Public Information and Liaison Officer from UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok. The contest, which has the overall objective of engaging the general public, particularly the youth, in fostering better understanding and support for ozone layer protection and its linkage with climate protection is approaching the end of the submission period on 31 March 2022.
Since the launch of the regional contest on 16 September 2021, most of the participating countries have already developed their national contest rules and promoted the contest locally. As of 10 February 2022, the regional Ozone2Climate platform has already received more than 500 pieces of artwork from more than 17 countries, and some countries have also established their own online platforms to receive submissions from their citizens.
Participants at the workshop benefited from in-depth presentations, discussions, and step-by-step live demonstrations from Assistant Professor Dr. Pornchai Chanyagorn, Mahidol University, on the functionality and processes of the Ozone2Climate’s website to effectively perform initial screening and evaluation, and issue certificates to artists who submitted their artwork offline.
Mahidol University, led by Associate Professor Dr. Thanapat Wanichanon and Assistant Professor Dr. Pattaraporn 8238_2Posoknistakul, presented the public relations plan for the next two months to boost the number of artwork submissions and promote ozone and climate protection awareness among their national entrants. The meeting participants were also provided with additional materials that the National Ozone Units can customize into their local languages to promote the contest to local partners and networks.
This virtual thematic workshop was the first in a series that UNEP CAP will conduct in the Asia Pacific region as per UNEP’s approved 2022 CAP Workplan to ensure seamless implementation of activities by Regional Networks related to the Asia Pacific Regional Ozone2Climate Art Contest with support provided by UNEP CAP and Mahidol University.