15 countries, 184 contest entries
As part of the 15th EEYF, they held the international children's and youth creativity competition – “I’m an Artist. UN Sustainable Development Goals as Seen by Young People”. In 2025, schoolchildren and students from 15 countries submitted 184 applications - and this is a record!
The UN goals are universal values such as equality, poverty alleviation, environmental protection, cultural diversity, and many others. And as the organizers note, all the topics are interesting to young people.
"The competition is a unique synthesis of artistic creativity and civic position. It does not simply show the talent of young people; it forms a responsible attitude to the global challenges of our time. We see how the level of submitted papers grows every year, both artistically and conceptually. It is important for us that the participants do not just paint beautiful pictures, but express their understanding of values. This forms a new generation of leaders - creative, conscious, and socially active," notes Alla Matveeva, the head of the competition, director of the USUE Master's Institute.
The age of the participants is from 10 to 30 years, and the contestants are not limited in formats: they presented painting, graphics, photography, and sculpture.
"My work is a look into the future, where every person knows even one planted tree is a contribution to the planet. I believe that art can remind us of our responsibility for nature," Cortes Perea Karen Stefania, a Colombian student at Far Eastern Federal University, says about her painting.
The competition was held in two stages. The first stage in electronic format was from February 1 to April 22, 2025 on the website of the 15th Eurasian Economic Youth Forum and on the platform of the UNESCO club "Sovushka". The best works, selected by voting and the expert commission, were exhibited at the international exhibition center "Ekaterinburg-EXPO" on the second day of the 15th EEYF.
"In their works, the participants show both creative potential and internal maturity. This is not just a competition but a kind of artistic manifesto of youth - against injustice and for stability and harmony in the world. Such a competition inspires both participants and viewers," a jury member, Mosfilm production designer, Vera Oborina says.
"The exhibition becomes a real mirror of time: young people speak to the world through images, symbols, color solutions. Their sincerity, deep understanding of the subject, and visual expressiveness - all these make the competition not just a creative, but a cultural and historical phenomenon," adds Olga Popova, a member of the jury, a member of the UNESCO "Sovushka" club.
The competition " I’m an Artist. UN Sustainable Development Goals as Seen by Young People " has been held since 2023. The founders - Ural State University of Economics, the UNESCO club "Sovushka" and the UN Information Center in Moscow - attach special importance not only to the artistic side of the project, but also to its educational and enlightening potential.
"We have supported this competition since its inception because it is in line with the spirit and goals of the UN. This is not just an art project; it is a platform for dialogue. Young people talk about the Sustainable Development Goals in the language of art, and this is a powerful educational tool. Not only paintings are born here, but also ideas that can change the future," Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Centre in Moscow, says.
The winners and prize winners of the competition were:
- in the age group of 10-14 years, 5th place was taken by a student of Gymnasium No. 76 in Chelyabinsk, Darya Churbanova. The third-place certificate and UN diploma were awarded to Anna Terekhova, a member of the UNESCO club "Sovushka" (Yekaterinburg). The 1st place and UN diploma were awarded to Alexandra Averina, a student of Lyceum No. 173 (Yekaterinburg);
- in the age group of 15-20 years, the third-place certificate and UN diploma were awarded to Boris Sekerin, a student of Gymnasium No. 9 (Yekaterinburg);
- in the age group of 21-30 years, the certificate for 5th place was awarded to a USUE student Alena Verbenskaya. The certificate for 4th place was awarded to a USUE student Khina.
The third-place certificate and UN diploma were awarded to the student of the Ural State University of Architecture and Arts, Maria Gnedkova.
Обладатели дипломов I степени получают дополнительные баллы при поступлении в УрГЭУ – 5 баллов к баллу ЕГЭ для поступающих в бакалавриат и 2 балла к портфолио при поступлении в магистратуру.
