The Rotaract Club of Kathmandu, Rotaract Club of Madhyapur and Interact Club of Kathmandu, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Global Peace Foundation hosted ‘Kalatsav’, an art competition celebrating World Environment Day on Wednesday. Held at Rotary Hall, Thapathali, the event focused on the theme ‘Our Land, Our Future’.

‘Kalatsav’ aimed to inspire young artists from grades seven to ten to express their creativity on environmental issues such as land restoration, desertification and drought resilience. The competition provided a platform for 64 students from 17 schools, including 10 community schools and seven private schools, to showcase their talents and raise awareness about critical environmental challenges.

Artworks were judged in three categories: conceptual, composition, and creativity. Winners were awarded trophies, certificates, and art-related gift hampers, while all participants received certificates of participation and enjoyed a complimentary lunch.

Sanju Rai from Shree Ratna Rajya Secondary School won in the Conceptual category for ‘Best Concept’. Aarohi Poudel from Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School was awarded ‘Most Creative’ in the Creativity category, and Sanjip Shrestha from Creative Learners Academy won ‘Best Composition’ in the Composition category.

“We are thrilled to host Kalatsav, which celebrates the artistic talents of our youth and emphasises the importance of environmental conservation,” said Ajay Yadav, president of the Rotaract Club of Kathmandu. “Through art, we hope to inspire a deeper connection to our land and a commitment to sustainable practices.”

Sabin Lamichhane, FAO’s national youth engagement specialist, emphasised the event's theme, stating, “Through this year’s theme, ‘Our Land, Our Future,’ we want to understand young minds' awareness and accountability towards the land.”

Participant Kavya Prajapati, a grade 9 student from Creative Learners Academy in Thimi, drew a rocket labelled ‘Planet B’ in her artwork. She explained, “If we don’t start reducing pollution, it might be too late to protect Earth, and we will have to look for a Planet B which is next to impossible.”

Another participant, Pranugya Nepal, a grade 6 student from Ambition Academy in Mid Baneshwor, shared her love for art, saying, “Art can be a universal language for understanding the necessity of protecting our Earth.”

Lamichhane added, “FAO has always been excited to support and showcase young people's ideas. I dream of displaying these artworks, either digitally or physically, at FAO's headquarters in Italy to share these messages from young minds from the ground level with the world.”

The event was free of charge, ensuring inclusivity and broad participation.