Co-organised by Sprinkles (HK) Charity Foundation, Spring Sunrise Charity and The Education University of Hong Kong, the competition attracted nearly 2,000 students from 65 schools

HONG KONG, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Award Presentation Ceremony and Outstanding Works Exhibition of the Fourth "Spring Sunrise" Children's Environmental Writing and Drawing Competition, jointly organised by Sprinkles (HK) Charity Foundation, the Hong Kong & Macau Taiwanese Charity Fund – Spring Sunrise Charity, and The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), concluded successfully on 21 June 2026 at the Wu Kwok Sau Ping Lecture Theatre, EdUHK. The event drew an enthusiastic response, bringing together more than 230 award-winning students, parents, teachers, school representatives and guests from all sectors to witness the environmental creativity and green learning achievements of Hong Kong's young people.

The ceremony was attended by a distinguished gathering of government officials and community leaders. Dr Choi Yuk-lin, JP, Secretary for Education, affirmed that the competition inspires young people to perceive nature with heart and mind, in close alignment with the values education promoted by the Education Bureau. Dr Samuel Chui Ho-kwong, JP, Director of Environmental Protection, encouraged students to put green living into practice in their daily lives by using less plastic and recycling more.

In his address, Dr Ma Jun, Chairman of Sprinkles (HK) Charity Foundation, noted that genuine sustainable development cannot rely on financial investment alone; it depends on nurturing a generation of talent committed to sustainability — and that this cultivation must begin in childhood. The Foundation will devote more resources in the future to actively advancing diverse forms of environmental education. Dr Zhai Pu, Founder of the Hong Kong & Macau Taiwanese Charity Fund – Spring Sunrise Charity; Mr Yang Hao, Deputy Chief Executive of Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited; Professor Timothy Chan Wai-keung, Head of the Department of Chinese Language Studies at EdUHK; and Dr Lai Chi-shing of the Department of Chinese Language Studies at EdUHK, Leader of the "Harmony between Humanity and Nature Sustainable Education" project, also delivered speeches, encouraging the younger generation to translate the philosophy of "harmony between humanity and nature" into long-term environmental action. Mrs Cherry Tse Ling Kit-ching, GBS, JP, Executive Vice-President (Administration and Finance) of The University of Hong Kong and former Permanent Secretary for Education and for Home Affairs, together with other representatives from the education, philanthropic and business sectors, attended the ceremony and presented awards to the winners. The ceremony was hosted by Ms Zeng Jingyi, member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and Phoenix TV anchor.

This year's competition, themed "My Best Friend in Nature" and "Borrowing Nature's Magic", was launched in the fourth quarter of 2025 and received an enthusiastic response from 65 primary schools and kindergartens across Hong Kong, attracting nearly 2,000 high-quality entries. To ensure professional and authoritative adjudication, a judging panel comprising faculty members and students from EdUHK's Department of Chinese Language Studies and the Global Institute for New Media, Arts, Culture and Education (GI-NMACE) conducted a rigorous selection process. Following in-depth evaluation, the competition presented 27 First Prizes, 46 Second Prizes, 73 Third Prizes and 142 Merit Awards, together with special Outstanding Teacher Awards and Outstanding Organisation Awards to recognise the schools and teaching teams at the front line of environmental education. The entries were rich in imagination and initiative: one student took on the role of an investigator and, inspired by spiders, proposed developing biodegradable eco-friendly building materials; another turned neglected fallen leaves on campus into compost to nourish the school garden. Junior primary students also used vivid words and pictures to depict renewable energy and everyday low-carbon actions, sincerely calling on the wider community to embrace green living.

This year, The Education University of Hong Kong joined as a co-organiser, playing a central role in the academic adjudication and professional evaluation of the competition. With the strong support of EdUHK President Professor John Lee Chi-kin, the event has been officially designated as one of the key celebratory programmes marking the tenth anniversary of the University's retitling. The competition is also an important component of the "Harmony between Humanity and Nature Sustainable Education" academic research project jointly undertaken by Sprinkles (HK) Charity Foundation and EdUHK, which adopts a practice-based approach to transform environmental education into in-depth academic research and teaching outcomes.

The success of the competition was made possible by the support of Bank of Communications (Hong Kong) Limited, Eyebright Medical Technology (Hong Kong) Co., Ltd. and CIC-Zero Carbon Park. The organisers also extend their heartfelt thanks to the co-organising partners, including the Hong Kong Institute of Education for Sustainable Development, Friends of the Earth (HK), the Hong Kong Chinese Education Foundation, the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, the Hong Kong Chinese Culture Development Association and the Green & Shine Foundation, for their generous assistance. Special gratitude also goes to all the volunteers and to the teachers and students of the 65 participating schools across Hong Kong, whose dedication has laid a solid foundation for environmental education in grassroots communities.

Since its inauguration in 2022, the "Spring Sunrise" Children's Environmental Writing and Drawing Competition has been held for four editions, receiving more than 6,000 entries from Hong Kong students. Looking ahead, EdUHK will continue to work closely with Sprinkles (HK) Charity Foundation and its partners. The First, Second and Third Prize winning works of this edition have been compiled into an anthology of outstanding works. In the second half of the year, the organisers will launch the original environmental education animation "Raine's Green Realm Rescue", organise summer parent-child environmental education study tours, and introduce an "AI Environmental Video Production Competition" for young people — continuing to enrich environmental education through diverse and innovative formats, and nurturing future pillars of society equipped with a sense of social responsibility and sustainability awareness for Hong Kong.

For the full list of winners of the Fourth "Spring Sunrise" Children's Environmental Writing and Drawing Competition, please visit: https://www.sprinkles.org.hk/tc/news/306