American Student Wins Grand Prize in Lions International Peace Poster Contest

OAK BROOK, Ill., Feb. 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Jenny Park, a 13-year-old from California, USA, has been named the grand prize winner of the Lions International Peace Poster Contest.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130201/DC52949)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121001/DC82808LOGO)

Lions Clubs International is celebrating the 25^th anniversary of the Peace Poster contest, which was created to showcase the importance of world peace to young people everywhere. More than 400,000 students worldwide, ages 11-13, submitted posters to be considered for the grand prize or one of the contest's 23 merit awards. Entries were judged for originality, artistic merit and portrayal of this year's contest theme, "Imagine Peace."

Park represented her image of peace through portraits of influential individuals who have made an impact on world peace. "These are people from different places and different times, of different faith, of different race, gender, ages and many more characteristics. Yet, they all share one thing in common: they all found peace within themselves," said Park.

The poster features portraits of the Dalai Lama, Barack Obama, Aung San Suu Kyi, Ban Ki Moon, Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa, Woodrow Wilson and -- a self-portrait of Park.

"The reason why I decided to draw a self-portrait in the middle of this poster is because I wanted to convey that peace begins with any regular individual, just like me and you," said Park. "We don't have to be the Dalai Lama or Mother Teresa to be creators of peace."

As the grand prize winner, Park will receive US$5,000 and a trip to a special awards ceremony at the 96^th Lions Clubs International Convention in Hamburg, Germany. She will be accompanied by two family members and the president of the Northridge Lions Club in California, USA, which sponsored her local contest.

"We knew Jenny's poster was special the minute we saw it," said Yasin Lakhani, president of the Northridge Lions Club and a past district governor. "This contest is just one of many programs our club is sponsoring to serve residents in our community, and because of these efforts, we are seeing more people ask how they can become Lions."

"In addition to promoting peace on a global scale, Lions utilize this contest to encourage youth to think about the people and the world around them and creatively express their feelings," said Lions Clubs International President Wayne Madden.

In addition to the grand prize winning poster, there were 23 merit award winners who receive a certificate of merit and US$500. This year's merit-award-winners live in Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Ecuador, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Nigeria, Philippines, Republic of South Africa and the United States (Alaska, Hawaii, Minnesota, Missouri, Oregon and West Virginia).

The grand prize Peace Poster and the 23 merit award winners' Peace Posters will be featured prominently at the 96th annual Lions Clubs International Convention. Visit the Lions Clubs International Web site, www.lionsclubs.org, to view winning Peace Posters, learn more about the contest and send Peace Poster e-cards.

Lions Clubs International is the world's largest service club organization with more than 1.3 million men and women in 207 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. Lions created the Peace Poster Contest to foster a spirit of peace and international understanding in young people worldwide. For additional information about Lions Clubs International Peace Poster Contest and media resources, visit www.lionsclubs.org/mediaresources.

SOURCE Lions Clubs International