The Ministry of Information has appealed to parents and guardians to allow children aged six to 12 to join a drawing competition of World Heritage Sites – a UNESCO initiative to help children showcase their creativity while continuing to self-study at home.

“The UNESCO office in Cambodia has created the UNESCO Little Artists Exhibition for young children between the ages of six and 12 to participate in a drawing competition of any World Heritage site they have visited or seen on TV,” the ministry said on Thursday.

It suggested that young participants visit the UNESCO website to browse the World Heritage List. To participate, the children must first get the approval of their parents or guardians.

Ministry spokesperson Meas Sophorn told The Post on Thursday that UNESCO holds the competition every year.

The ministry is promoting the competition more widely this year to help reach a higher number of Cambodian students.

“We wish to inspire young students of the next generation to understand the culture and civilisation of Cambodia,” Sophorn said.

A UNESCO website post on April 13 said the spread of Covid-19 had posed many new challenges for parents and guardians of children. Students haven’t been able to go to school for a long time, the post said.

“Yet confinement can also be an opportunity – for learning, creativity and discovery. To encourage this creativity, UNESCO is inviting children between ages six and 12 to draw a UNESCO World Heritage site that matters to them,” the post said.

UNESCO expressed hope that through this initiative, children all over the world will be able to express their creativity in this difficult time and learn more about the world’s great cultural heritage.

Teachers, including members of UNESCO Associated Schools Network, will support and share this initiative within their network. UNESCO will showcase some of the most artistically unique and diverse drawings on its website.