“Environment Mascot – Vila Verde” Contest

The Municipality of Vila Verde has decided to launch a competition for the creation of an official mascot, as part of an environmental campaign aimed at promoting recycling and proper behavior in waste disposal. According to the regulations approved by the municipal executive, the competition is intended for young people from Vila Verde, or those attending schools in the municipality of Vila Verde, aged between 15 and 25.

Proposals must be sent by April 15, via email, to mascote@cm-vilaverde.pt. Participants may enter individually or in groups of up to three members. Councilor Carlos Tiago Alves, responsible for the municipal environmental department, explains that “the official mascot” will be an important element to simplify and reinforce the environmental messages aimed at the general population, with special reference to household waste disposal habits.

“We hope that participants in this competition use all their imagination and creativity to build a mascot with a unique and creative design, that is easily recognizable, appealing, and can help raise awareness among the population about the importance of environmental preservation and the 4R’s policy: Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” highlights Carlos Tiago Alves. The competition regulations establish that the creation of the environmental mascot must “present a graphic representation (in drawing, illustration, or digital art) and have the potential to be transformed into a real mascot (whether a puppet, costume, or doll).”

Always with the aim of promoting recycling and proper waste disposal, the mascot must also have an appealing and easily memorized name, contain an identifying element of the municipality (whether cultural or environmental), and include a slogan associated with the theme.

Each participant or group may only submit a single proposal, which must contain the image of the mascot’s graphic representation (in JPG or PNG format), the name and slogan to be assigned, and the descriptive memorandum (maximum of one page) explaining the concept, its relationship to the environmental theme, and the viability of transformation into a real mascot.

Proposals will be analyzed by a jury appointed by the organizing entity, with criteria including originality and creativity, the relevance of the environmental message, the potential for adaptation into a physical mascot, the technical and aesthetic quality of the proposal, and the identifying element of the municipality.

A cash prize of one thousand euros is planned for the winning proposal, as well as two honorable mentions with prizes of 500 euros and 250 euros for two other selected proposals.

The competition jury includes artist Maciel Cardeira, digital content creator Sónia Sousa, visual arts teacher Cláudia Gomes, and environmental technician Adelino Silva. The results will be announced by April 30.