On World Animal Day (WAD) the winners of the article writing competition 'Stop Animal Cruelty' were feted with cash prizes. The winner's article was published in Kantipur Daily.
The competition was announced on WAD 2009. A jury consisting of Anustha Shrestha (radio RJ), Mahesh Sharma (Roots & Shoots representative) and Prerana Marasini (journalist) announced the winners.
The first prize went to Bishwa Poudel. The jury describes his article as 'highly inspiring, broad-minded and providing an introduction to some of the world's varied forms of animal cruelty'. Jury member Anustha: 'Bishwa talks about the cruelty faced by animals in multiple sectors. He explains how animals are being sacrificed in the name of culture, using the examples of Dasain and Gadhima festivals, He shows how animals are being ill treated in the name of sports and entertainment all over the world. Definitely deserves the first prize.'
The second prize went to Sambinda Rajbhandari Shrestha. The jury says her story about the rehabilitation of an injured pigeon is 'heartfelt, original and well written'. Jury member Anustha: 'The bonding between the bird and the author is beautifully portrayed. The writer has also raised the issue of the killing of thousands of birds due to bird flu. The story can easily be turned into a children's story.'
The third prize was handed over to Govinda Subedi. The jury appreciated the story on animal sacrifice as it encourages the readers to think of the animals who will be killed in the name of god.
The consolation prize went to Roshan Shestha. Roshan wrote a poem instead of an article. However the jury felt the young participant deserves encouragement for writing a heartfelt poem about animal suffering.
The deadline for the Poster and Photo competition have been extended, as there were insufficient contributions.