I always very much look forward to seeing the works by children for this yearly contest.

I think that a picture is a mirror that reflects the artist. When I look at the works gathered here, I feel as if I am communicating with the mind of each child. I always learn a lot from the entries, some of which are innocent and spontaneous, others are heavily tinged with the air of their native countries, and yet others have strong messages to bring to a wide audience.

It overwhelms me to see how pure-hearted the children are and how deeply they care about the Earth and the environment. At the same time, it makes me wish they would retain this stance when they grow up. It is also meaningful for each of us grown-ups to recapture how we felt as a child when we look at children’s artworks that show great sensibility.

While I wish I could award all the entries, we selected the winning pieces based on the level of enthusiasm the artworks showed for environmental issues. Exceptional sensibility was expressed in the artworks, not only by children learning art, but also by technically less adept artists. All these children’s shared vision of caring seriously about the Earth compels us to think about what trajectory the world should be on. I think this planet could enjoy a longer life if these children’s voices were more widely heard around the world.