Our international panel of judges voted unanimously this week in the ICROSS poverty awareness drawing competition. Dehon Joubert, a long time friend over a decade of ICROSS programmes, oversaw the competition. Votes came from women who fight poverty in 6 countries including Cambodia.
The winner, I.I. Moreno, was announced this week in Cape Town, during a small prize giving ceremony. In response to winning, I.I. Moreno said, "I did not focus on winning the competition. My aim with this drawing was firstly to make sure that I conceptualize the drawing very well and secondly to produce an art work portraying the highest possible technical skill that I can at this level of my education. So, winning was a great surprise and I am very happy."
Added to her prize, consisting of high quality pencil sets, she will be asked to design the cover of the ICROSS annual report 2010 and she also wins $250 towards her art studies. The art students who participated in the ICROSS drawing competition could relate to the theme of creating poverty awareness. They come from lower- to no-income groups for whom poverty is a daily reality.
This is the first in a series of ICROSS poverty awareness campaigns which will be headed by Dehon. The aim of the project is to create a dynamic awareness about poverty internationally driven by young artists from Africa and around the world. The Founder of ICROSS, Dr Michael Meegan, said today from Ngong in Kenya;
"This is an exciting and important programme of advocacy lead by African artists, the start of a significant campaign"
Dehon, the mind behind the project, said, "Young artist are craving for opportunities such as this competition to give them a voice. They are thrilled when they realise that they can make a difference with their talent for art especially when a theme like creating poverty awareness hits so close to home."
The next stage of the competition will be announced in Milan by Manuel Scrima, ICROSS creative director and creator of Africa awakes. Dehon is already working on the next phase of the awareness programme.