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ADB Art Competition for Manila Street Children

MANILA, PHILIPPINES (19 June 2002) - The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is hosting an art competition for 150 Filipino street children between the ages of 5 and 16 on Saturday, 22 June. The theme of the competition is "If I Had the Chance..."

This will be the last of seven such contests held in the Asia and the Pacific region this year. The others were in Dhaka, Jakarta, Kathmandu, Phnom Penh, Port Moresby, and Ulaanbaatar. Over 1,000 children, 70 nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and 500 volunteers have taken part. Nine children from each city will receive awards, including a US$500 scholarship.

The region-wide art competition supports ADB's goal of poverty reduction by highlighting the potential, as well as the plight, of poor children.

The 150 'street artists' in Manila are registering through 12 local NGOs. A panel of judges will select prizewinners and the participating children will also choose their favorite drawings.

ADB is expected to publish a book later this year that will include a selection of the artworks as well as profiles of the artists and their situations, providing the children with a means of communicating with the public, including decision-makers. All profits from the book will go back to the children through the NGOs.

This is the second year ADB has held an art competition for Manila's street children.

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