Check out the winners of our 2025 Children's Mangrove Art Contest!

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Winners of the 2025 Children’s Mangrove Art Contest Revealed

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Young artists around the world share their creativity in the 2025 Children’s Mangrove Art Contest.

We are excited to share the winners of the 2025 Children’s Mangrove Art Contest — a global celebration of creativity and conservation. Now in its 25th year, the contest invited students aged 7 to 16 from around the world and received entries from 40 countries in response to three important questions:

  • What have you learned about mangroves?

  • What are the threats facing mangroves today?

  • How does garbage and marine debris affect mangroves?

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of MAP’s Children’s Mangrove Art Contest and Calendar, and we’re thrilled to see its growing popularity. We broke records with 512 entries — our highest number yet! Through art, we continue to inspire and educate young minds about the importance of mangroves and conservation,” said Monica Gutierrez-Quarto, coordinator of the art contest.

MAP’s Children’s Mangrove Art Contest continues to be a cornerstone in fostering environmental stewardship among the next generation. Each year, more youth, families, schools, and community groups participate, making it a truly global event. By engaging young minds, we hope to spark a lifelong connection to the natural world.

This collection reflects a thoughtful process in which children learn about mangroves through classroom lessons, field trips, or independent study, and then express their reflections through art. The contest provides a platform for young artists to explore the beauty and biodiversity of mangrove forests, while also raising awareness of the urgent need for conservation.

We are proud to present this year’s winning artworks, which will be featured in our 2026 Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar, beginning with our front cover winner Emrul Kayes Rafsan, Age 13, Bangladesh (pictured above), and showcasing 12 other extraordinary pieces from young artists around the world:

  1. Elif Kose (Turkey, Age 10)
  2. Aylin Javanbakht (Iran, Age 12)
  3. Arina Bafna (USA, Age 12)
  4. Mohini Patil (India, Age 9)
  5. Raphael Antoinette (Mauritius, Age 11)
  6. Jay Lee (South Korea, Age 8)
  7. Maiia Vasileva (Paraguay, Age 15)
  8. Aphiwit Phakdee-phruetthinan (Thailand, Age 11)
  9. Evelyn Kim (Australia, Age 14)
  10. H.A Dilthini Viruli Hettiarachchi (Sri Lanka, Age 12)
  11. Adelia Kusama Hasna (Indonesia, Age 15)
  12. Shibaal Ibn Muhammad Zuboir (Maldives, Age 13)

Awarded Young Artists

In addition to these 13 awarded pieces, we are pleased to showcase over 81 outstanding artworks in our 2025 Virtual Art Gallery. These winning pieces will also be featured in our 2026 Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar, capturing the creativity and insights of these talented young artists.

The 2026 Children’s Mangrove Art Calendar will be available starting October 1. We’ll share a preview and more details in a blog post and on our social media that day. As a thank you for supporting our conservation efforts, donors contributing $100 or more will receive a complimentary copy of our 2026 calendar.  To request your copy, simply note it in the comments section of our donation page or contact Monica at monica@mangroveactionproject.org

This year, we are honored to have an outstanding jury who play a crucial role in selecting the artwork: Valli Sanstrom, Francesca Del Piano and Gabriela Canovas

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the gifted students, teachers, parents, and organizations who contributed to this remarkable collection. Please take a moment to explore our wonderful gallery below!

Gallery Art Selection