Rio de Janeiro, 26 July 2013 - Thousands of tourists are flocking to Rio de Janeiro this week to take part in World Youth Day celebrations and to witness the first international visit of Pope Francis. Among the various events taking place is a unique exhibition of artwork produced by young environmentalists from across the world.
The winning entries in last year's International Children's Painting Competition will be displayed during the Living Youth Social Forum; an official side event of the World Youth Day 2013.
The winning paintings were chosen from over 630,000 entries submitted by young artists under the theme 'Green Communities'. Organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and partners each year, the Children's Painting Competition is one of the biggest art contests of its kind in the world.
The venue for the exhibition the Youth Social Forum - is an open dialogue between young people and experts on sustainability, human rights, social development and other issues. It is set to take place in Rio's Parque Manguinhos; a regenerated area previously under control the control of gangs, which now includes a new centre focused on training youth people.
"World Youth Day is a big opportunity to analyze how youth across the world can connect with different social movements and contribute to a better society", says Tiago Santana, Superintendent for Youth Policies of Rio de Janeiro State Government and promoter of the Forum.
The forum and the exhibition are open to visitors from 24 to 26 July. Other workshops and cultural activities are being organized in Parque Manguinhos over the same period.
The winners of the 2013 UNEP International Children's Painting Competition are set to be announced on 30 July 2013.
