Hanoi (VNA)♛ – The Vietnam Environment Administration (VEA) and the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union launched the first Green Innovation Awards in Hanoi on December 14.

The awards, designed for three groups -- primary and secondary students; high school students; and college, university students and those aged between 19 and 30 years, look to seek, introduce, and popularise outstanding initiatives and models on environmental protection and sustainable development. The entries will focus on energy saving, environmentally-friendly products, biodiversity preservation, waste recycling and treatment, policy solutions, environment education, and application of information-technology in environmental protection and management. Thirty excellent entries at the qualifying round will be picked out for the finale. Each group will be presented with one first prize, two second prizes, three third prizes, and four consolation prizes, worth totally 134 million VND (5,896 USD). The submission will start from December 15, 2015 to June 30, 2016. The prize-presenting ceremony is scheduled to take place in September at a locality to be selected to host the campaign “making the world cleaner” 2016. Detailed information is posted on www.vea.gov.vn , www.cetac.gov.vn, www.doanthanhnien.vn , or fanpage www.facebook.com/giaithuongsangtaoxanh. Contestants could submit their entries to the VEA’s Center for Environmental Training and Communication at No.556, Nguyen Van Cu Street, Long Bien, Hanoi, or the HCM Youth Union’s Rural Youth Department at No.62, Ba Trieu, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi. FrieslandCampina Vietnam, which is well known for such brands as Dutch Lady, Friso, Yomost and Fristi, will be the main sponsor of the programme. The youngsters in Vietnam make up around 40 percent of the country’s population, who are expected to make significant contributions to the local socio-economic development, especially in environmental protection and sustainable development.-VNA