The Department of Blue Economy Launches Comic Strip Competition

The Department of Blue Economy is happy to announce that it has officially launched a “Comic Strip Competition for the African Day of the Seas and Oceans”. The African Day of the Seas and Oceans is an annual event celebrated on July 25th, aimed at promoting the sustainable use and conservation of Africa’s marine resources.

The goal of the comic strip competition to commemorate the African Day of the Seas and Ocean is to promote awareness of the blue economy and inspire creative thinking about how we can harness the potential of the ocean in a sustainable and equitable way. We believe that comic strips are a powerful medium for communicating complex ideas and engaging a broad audience, including children, youth, and adults.

Our competition will be open to all Seychellois, who will have to submit original comic strips that explore themes related to the blue economy. The themes which will be used are as stated below:

• Circular Economy
• Marine Biotechnology
• Aquatic Sports
• Aquaculture

The Department of Blue Economy is proudly partnering with the Creole Travel Services, Teddy’s Glass Bottom Boat, Mason’s Travel, Seychelles Fishing Authority (SFA), Mauritius Commercial Bank (MCB) Seychelles, Development Bank Seychelles (DBS), Seychelles Islands Foundation (SIF), Cable and Wireless, Absa Bank Seychelles and the Carana Beach Hotel to make this activity a success.

There will be ONE winner per category. The participants will be placed in 4 different categories, and the categories and the prizes to be won are as stated below:

Aged between 12-18 years of age:

1. A voucher for 2 pax to enjoy a trip to Ile Moyenne and the St Anne Marine Park with lunch included – sponsored by Teddy’s Glass Bottom Boat.
2. A savings voucher of 1,000 SCR – Sponsored by Mauritius Commercial Bank Seychelles.
3. A gift bag – sponsored by Absa Bank Seychelles
4. A book titled “Aldabra Seychelles” – sponsored by Seychelles Islands Foundation.

Aged between 19-30 years of age:

1. A voucher for 2 pax to enjoy a trip on Odezir with lunch included – sponsored by Creole Travel Services.
2. A savings voucher of 1,500 SCR – sponsored by Mauritius Commercial Bank Seychelles.
3. A gift bag – sponsored by Absa Bank Seychelles.
4. A book titled “Aldabra Seychelles” – sponsored by Seychelles Islands Foundation.

Aged between 31-39 years of age:

1. A voucher for 2 pax for the Reef Safari Tour with lunch and beverages included – sponsored by Masons Travel.
2. A savings voucher of 1,500 SCR – sponsored by Mauritius Commercial Bank Seychelles.
3. A basket of goodies – sponsored by Cable and Wireless Seychelles
4. A gift bag – sponsored by Absa Bank Seychelles
5. A book titled “Lost World: The Marine World of Aldabra & the Seychelles” – sponsored by Seychelles Islands Foundation.

Aged 40 years onwards:

1. A voucher worth 4,000 SCR of equipment – sponsored by Seychelles Fishing Authority
2. A gift bag – sponsored by Absa Bank Seychelles
3. A book titled “Lost World: The Marine World of Aldabra & the Seychelles” – sponsored by Seychelles Islands Foundation.
4. A basket of goodies – sponsored by Cable and Wireless Seychelles

Moreover, there will be additional prizes to be won, and they are detailed below.

STAR PRIZE

There will be a STAR Prize to be won and this will be awarded to the best overall. The winner of the STAR Prize will walk away with a cheque of 5,000 SCR, proudly sponsored by the Development Bank of Seychelles (DBS), along with a Dinner for 2 at the Carana Beach Hotel.

BEST EFFORT PRIZE

There will also be a “Best Effort” prize that will be given to the participant that did not win any of the prizes in the above-mentioned categories, but showed great effort in his/her work. This person will walk away with a 1,000 SCR voucher worth of Art equipment, proudly sponsored by the SFA, and two books by the SIF.

Criteria to be used to evaluate the comic strips:

1. Originality and Creativity: The comic strip should demonstrate originality and creativity in its storyline, characters, and visual design. The comic strip should stand out from other entries and offer a fresh perspective. Any signs of plagiarisms will result in the disqualification of the participant.
2. Artistic Quality: The artwork of the comic strip should be visually appealing, well-composed, and well-executed. The comic strip should demonstrate the artist’s mastery of various visual elements such as color, line, texture, and space.
3. Narrative Quality: The comic strip should tell a compelling story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. The plot should be engaging, with interesting and relatable characters and a well-structured plot that is easy to follow.
4. Writing Quality: The dialogue and narration should be well-written, witty, and engaging. The language should be appropriate for the target audience, and the text should be well-balanced with the visuals.
5. Relevance to Theme: The comic strip should address one of the themes stated in a creative and meaningful way.
6. Overall Impact: The comic strip should leave a lasting impression on the judges and the readers, with a powerful message or emotional impact.

Tools and Materials to be Used:

There are various tools and materials that can be used to create the comic strips, depending on the artist’s preferences and available resources. Here are the three options that may be used:

• Traditional Materials: Comic strips can be created using traditional materials such as pen, pencil, ink, paper, and brushes. The artist can sketch out the panels and characters, ink the lines, and add shading and texture using different techniques.
• Digital Tools: This can include software programs such as Adobe Photoshop, Clip Studio Paint, or Procreate, which allow the artist to draw, ink, color, and edit their work digitally. A digital tablet, such as a Wacom or iPad Pro, can also be used to draw directly onto the screen with a stylus.
• Combination of Traditional and Digital: Artists can use a combination of traditional and digital tools to create their comic strips. For example, they may draw the characters and panels by hand, scan them into the computer, and then add color and texture using digital software.

Dimensions and Panels of the Comic Strips

The participant will be able to use up to 6 panels maximum to showcase their work but should not exceed the size of an A4 paper. The dimensions of the comic strip for the competition is 10cm * 10cm for each panel.

Deadline for Submission of Comic Strip.

The deadline for submission is the 30^th of June 2023. Participants can submit their comic strips via email to Mrs. Elna Etienne on elna.etienne@gov.sc and copy in Mr. Terrence Crea on terrence.crea@gov.sc

The comic strips can also be delivered to the Department of Blue Economy at Maison Collet, Level 2, Victoria, addressed to Mrs. Elna Etienne.

It is important and compulsory to write your NAME, AGE and THEME on your work before submitting it. any comic strip without a name, age or theme will be discarded.

Prize-Giving Ceremony

Winners will be announced at a prize-giving ceremony on the 25^th of July to commemorate the African Day of the Seas and Oceans.