DJOHAN BUDIMULIA is the newly named child ambassador to represent Malaysia in the Third Arts Olympiad (2005-2008) towards the international Child Art Festival (ICAF) in Washington DC.
The 10-year-old exclaimed: “I am so excited and happy. I'm going to Washington DC!”
Held once every four years, The Third Arts Olympiad involves the participation of close to three million children from over 100 countries around the world.
This community project, organised by Yellow House Society of Kuala Lumpur (ICAF's National Partner) and Smart Kids in collaboration with the Education Ministry, and The National Council of Welfare and Social Development, is aimed to provide equal opportunities for children from diverse backgrounds, cultures and capacities to come together to explore and create and share through the arts.
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Djohan receivingan award fromKhatijah (secondfrom left) andElangovan(middle in lightyellow). |
The Malaysian Chapter short-listed three finalists from every state, where 44 child artists gathered at the National Art Gallery on May 3 to compete in the Grand Finals of the competition in order to represent the country in the United States.
They were each required to draw apiece entitled My favourite Sport.
Yellow House Society president Khatijah Sulieman said during the closing ceremony of the competition that the children were pre-selected from thousands of entries that were sent in and claimed that it was more than just a global art competition.
“This competition incorporates a structured lesson plan that promotes the value of art and sport and encourages collaboration between art teachers and athletics instructors to motivate young artists to develop their physical abilities and to inspire young athletes to express themselves through art,” she said.
Officiating the closing ceremony of the competition was S. Elangovan on behalf of the Arts, Culture and Heritage Ministry secretary-general Datuk Siti Azizah Abod.
The competition was also an opportunity to jointly create a “Friendship Collage from Malaysia To The World” as a way of expressing and sharing the beauty and diversity found throughout Malaysia.
“Malaysia has so many young, talented children and they should be exposed to the world in order to develop their creativity, inner beauty and spread peace to the world” said Khatijah.
