Dubai, UAE:

Emirates Transport (ET) and Union Coop have announced the success of the first phase of ‘Rasma’, their joint art competition.

Created as part of a ‘Back to School’ campaign, the competition was established to motivate students to approach the new academic year with enthusiasm and creativity.

With the deadline for entries now closed, the organisers have confirmed that since its launch in mid-July, a total of 2,200 entries have been submitted to ‘Rasma’ from students across UAE – a remarkable response that exceeded expectations.

To encourage mass participation, students were invited to submit their artworks via email or in person by visiting one of Union Coop’s creative corners, located in both Al Barsha Mall and Union Mall.

For the next phase of the competition, Emirates Transport and Union Coop have called on the general public to actively participate, inviting them to judge the entries and vote for their favourite artwork by visiting Emirates Transport’s Instagram account (@emiratestrans). Once the public votes have been tallied, the winners of Rasma will be announced on September 13th.

Alex Rentier, CEO of Emirates Transport, said: “I am delighted that our partnership with Union Coop on this joint initiative has been so successful. The response from students has been absolutely fantastic, with thousands taking part in this new activity added to our annual “Back to School” campaign, helping them prepare for the new school year. Emirates Transport – throughout its journey of more than four decades – has focused on empowering the country’s students and nurturing their creativity. ‘Rasma’ was launched in this spirit and, by inviting children to draw the vehicles in our fleet that transport them safely to school every day, aimed to spark their imaginations and deepen their already strong connection to Emirates Transport.

“The competition was an excellent opportunity for them to participate in an enjoyable artistic and educational activity during their summer vacation, while competing for valuable prizes. I would encourage as many people as possible to cast their vote and help us choose the worthy winners.”

For his part, Dr. Suhail Al Bastaki, Chief Community Relations Officer at Union Coop, expressed his excitement about the initiative, stating: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Emirates Transport on the ‘Rasma’ Art Competition. This initiative is a wonderful opportunity for children to showcase their creativity and connect with their everyday environment. We look forward to seeing the imaginative works of our young artists and celebrating their contributions to our community.”

He explained that with the end of the first phase of the competition, all entries will be displayed online for public viewing, and public voting will take place from September 1 to September 12, 2024, and the winners will be announced on September 13, 2024.

He continued: “The winning participants will receive valuable prizes, in addition to honouring all participants in appreciation of their creative efforts, with the aim of rewarding their efforts in support of community initiatives.”

The ‘Rasma’ art competition was aimed at all children across the UAE, inviting them to unleash their artistic talents by drawing a vehicle from the Emirates Transport fleet, such as school buses, trucks, cars, motorcycles, and others. The organisers were keen to encourage young artists to explore their creativity and interact with their daily transport environment. Since its launch, the competition was extensively covered across Emirates Transport’s social media accounts, which constantly posted the competition’s key developments and activities.