Thailand and U.S.A Won the Grand Prixs in Panasonic KWN Global Contest 2018

Tokyo, Japan - Panasonic Corporation held the awards ceremony for the Kid Witness News (KWN) Global Contest 2018 on July 27 at Panasonic Center Tokyo. This year the Grand Prix in the Primary Category was won by "A Message" the video from Anuban Saraburi School of Thailand, while the Grand Prix in the Secondary Category was won by "Stitched Love" the video from Val Verde High School of U.S.A.

KWN 2018 Award Winners (Primary)

Grand Prix and Best K-Factor Award

A Message
School: Anuban Saraburi School
Country: Thailand

Theme: Communication
Digital technology makes communication more convenient. We have modern tools to communicate. They allow people who are faraway to be closer together but at the same time, it makes people who are close feel faraway.

Best Creativity Award

The Bremen Cog
School: Junior High Geestemunde
Country: Germany

Theme: Communication
The students were invited to the German Maritime Museum to produce a film about the oldest merchant ship found in Germany. After doing research with interviews in the museum, they started to concrete the facts and turn it into a series of scenes to make the story alive again.

Global Citizens Award

My Troublesome Friend
School: Hong Kong Red Swastika Society Tuen Mun Primary School
Country: Hong Kong

Theme: Communication
Siu Tin is a transfer student and has a new partner name Tao Cai. She hates Tao Cai but one day Tao Cai drops out of school. He leaves something on his seat letting Sui Tin know his true feelings.

KWN 2018 Award Winners (Secondary)

Grand Prix and Best Expression Award

Stitched Love
School: Val Verde high School
Country: United States of America

Theme: Communication
Elijah who is having a counseling session with his adult counselor recounts the sad story of his early life and lack of parental love. The only constant in his inconsistent life was a stuffed toy bear named Teddy. The counselor tells that he should not allow his past to dictate his future.

Best Concept Award

Help... I'm Trapped
School: 111 Junior High School
Country: Indonesia

Theme: Communication
Putri is a student who is very addicted to her smartphone. Because of that she doesn't care about anything. Her family and friends become forgotten because the only thing Putri cares about is her smartphone.

Best Documentary Award

Living Together
School: Assumption College Thonburi
Country: Thailand

Theme: Communication
A story of a girl who grows up with taking care of elephants. Her goal is to become a veterinarian in order to help the elephants. These opportunities lead people to conserve Thai wisdom.

The 25 national winners which entered the global contest this year were particularly notable for the degree to which they depicted the diverse societies and real world that children live in, from their own perspective as children, dealing with themes such as school, family, persons with disabilities, decease, sports and the joy of creating video works.

"A Message", the Grand Prix for the Primary Category by Anuban Saraburi School, is a video in which highlights that digital technology makes communication more convenient and allows people who are faraway to be closer together. But at the same time, it makes people who are close feel faraway.

"Stitched Love", the Grand Prix for the Secondary Category by Val Verde High School, is a video that highlights a student who recounts the sad story of his early life which was the lack of parental love. The only constant in his inconsistent life was a stuffed toy bear which ended up to provide love on behalf of his parents.

As for this year, 25 national winners from 16 different countries and regions were invited to Tokyo to attend the "KWN Global Summit 2018" from July 24 to 28. During the KWN Global Contest awards on July 27, the top 6 videos from both categories were announced. In addition, a new award called the Kid's Award in which the kids voted for their favorite video was announced From the Primary Category, the video "Magic Smile" from Al Muhajiriyah Islamic Elementary School of Indonesia was selected and from the Secondary Category, the video "Nasi Lemak & Tosai" from Section 9 Shah Alam Secondary School of Malaysia was selected.

KWN activities are currently being conducted in 16 different countries and regions around the world as part of Panasonic's educational support activities for the next generation. This is an interactive educational program in which participating schools are supplied with video equipment and the videos they produce are judged in contests every year. The children complete the entire production process by themselves, from planning to investigation, filming and editing. First launched in the United States in 1989, KWN has now been running for 29 years with a total of more than 180,000 children and their teachers taking part so far. As for this year, around 3,450 people took part from 16 different countries and regions around the world, with video submissions from 417 schools. The five-minute videos were produced on three broad themes - "communications", "environment", and "sports" - as the children offered their own unique perspectives on issues close to them like sports, global environment, and people who have dealt with families, disabilities and PTSD.

A total of 54 kid journalists from 16 countries and region participated in KWN Global Contest 2018.

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