Turkish anti-addiction body's cartoon contest opens

By Handan Kazanci

ISTANBUL (AA) – The 5th International Green Crescent Cartoon Contest is now open for applications, organizers announced.

This year’s theme is “New Generation, and New Generation Addictions,” according to a statement issued last week.

“Works submitted to the contest are expected to focus on the causes of addiction, how addiction spreads, the effects of addiction, and responsibilities related to online betting and online gambling addiction,” read the statement.

Entries will be under the headings of “The Effects of the Pandemic” and “Digital Games” and the main theme of “New Generation, and New Generation Addictions,” it added.

The contest is open to all amateur and professional cartoonists from Turkey and around the world.

Entries can be submitted at https://cartooncontest.yesilay.org.tr/en until Jan. 31, 2021, the statement said.

M. Nurullah Atalan, general manager of Green Crescent, said this year’s contest theme was chosen in view of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We believe that our artists will explain, in creative ways, the habits of the new generation, the transformation of technology misuse into addiction, and how the pandemic is affecting these,” he said.

He said the competition has garnered increasing interest over the past four years, with 479 cartoonists from 55 countries sending in over 900 entries in 2019.

This year’s winner stands to receive 12,500 Turkish liras (over $1,600) from a total prize money of 44,000 Turkish liras (around $5,700).

Established in 1920, the Turkish Green Crescent is a non-profit and non-governmental organization that aims to empower youth and adults with factual information about drugs to help them make informed decisions against different kinds of addictions, such as alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and gambling, according to its website.

The organization currently has 120 branches within Turkey, with 81 representatives in different cities around the country.