When Green Dreams Reach the Hospital

At E Hospital, walls normally associated with white coats, patient calls and the urgent rhythm of medical examinations and treatment were brightened by the fresh colors of the world of childhood.

More than 100 works presented on this occasion were outstanding paintings selected from over 130,000 entries submitted to the 2025-2026 “Denmark in Your Eyes” drawing contest. Under the theme “Going Green,” the contest encouraged students across Viet Nam to express their thoughts, dreams, hopes and practical actions for the environment, toward a more sustainable future.

More than 100 award-winning paintings from the 2025-2026 “Denmark Through Children’s Eyes” drawing contest were presented to E Hospital. (Photo: Bao Ngoc).

The presentation ceremony was attended by Danish Ambassador to Viet Nam Lina Gandlose Hansen; Dr. Nguyen Cong Huu, Director of E Hospital; representatives of the Viet Nam-Denmark Friendship Association (VIDAFA); Tran Phu Cuong, Head of the European Department of the Viet Nam Union of Friendship Organizations; as well as numerous patients, their families and medical staff at the hospital.

Speaking at the ceremony, Ambassador Lina Gandlose Hansen said she was very pleased to bring artworks created by young Vietnamese artists to E Hospital and share with the hospital community the creativity, imagination and positive spirit of Vietnamese children.

“Behind every painting is a child with imagination, hope and a unique way of seeing the world. These are not simply paintings about the environment; they also reflect how the younger generation sees the future that one day they will inherit,” the Ambassador said.

The paintings were displayed at the presentation ceremony. (Photo: Bao Ngoc).

According to the Ambassador, hospitals are places where people come together during important moments in their lives. There, patients, families, doctors, nurses and medical staff share a common hope for health and happiness. Therefore, the donated paintings not only beautify the hospital environment, but can also create a sense of optimism, friendliness and connection for those spending time there.

“We hope these paintings will make the hospital environment a little brighter and friendlier, bringing color, optimism and a sense of connection to everyone who looks at them,” Lina Gandlose Hansen said.

As part of the program, pediatric patients also took part in drawing and coloring activities. Their sometimes-unsteady strokes and uneven patches of color reflected their innocence and excitement, creating a warm and cheerful atmosphere inside the hospital.

For many pediatric patients, time spent in hospital is often associated with medical examinations, treatment, pain and anxiety. Therefore, age-appropriate artistic activities can provide a period of relaxation, helping children temporarily set aside feelings of tension and return to the familiar world of childhood.

Pediatric patients at the presentation ceremony. (Photo: Bao Ngoc).

Dr. Nguyen Cong Huu affirmed that the donated artworks not only demonstrate the friendship and mutual understanding between Viet Nam and Denmark, but also carry profound humanitarian value. The paintings help create a “green space,” easing anxiety and fear among pediatric patients and giving them a more positive spirit during examination and treatment.

From a Children’s Contest to a People-to-People Bridge

The paintings will be displayed at the General Pediatrics Department, Pediatric Cardiology Department, Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Department and Mental Health Department of E Hospital. On the same occasion, the Embassy of Denmark in Viet Nam also presented pediatric patients with children’s books by Danish authors and toys manufactured in Denmark.

Originating as a contest for students, the artworks have moved beyond classrooms to reach a hospital and children who need encouragement and support. It also represents a special journey for environmental messages: beginning with children’s imagination, conveyed through colors, and continuing to spread through the community through sharing.

Lina Gandlose Hansen, Ambassador of Denmark to Viet Nam. (Photo: Bao Ngoc).

Ambassador Lina Gandlose Hansen emphasized the power of art and culture to connect people. A painting created by a Vietnamese child can reach people the child has never met, conveying care, imagination, hope and faith in a better future in ways that words sometimes cannot fully express.

In that sense, the presentation of the paintings is not only about the environment. It is also a story about people, health, happiness, community and creating spaces where people can feel connected, supported and inspired.

The “Denmark in Your Eyes” contest was jointly organized for the first time in 2016 by the Embassy of Denmark and the Viet Nam-Denmark Friendship Association, marking the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Viet Nam and Denmark. Since then, the contest has been held regularly once every one or two years, with different themes but a consistent focus on environmental issues.

The 2025-2026 edition marked the 10-year journey of the contest. From more than 130,000 entries, the organizing committee presented 86 individual prizes and seven collective prizes to students nationwide. These figures demonstrate the reach of the artistic platform while also reflecting Vietnamese young people’s growing interest in the environment and sustainable development.

Paintings from previous editions have also been presented to the National Children’s Hospital, Viet Duc Friendship Hospital, the National Hospital of Traditional Medicine and several local art centers. Each time they are donated, the artworks embark on a new journey, carrying children’s voices into new spaces and to people who need an extra source of joy.

The presentation of paintings at E Hospital took place in a year when Viet Nam and Denmark are celebrating the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. Over more than half a century, bilateral relations have developed across numerous fields. Alongside cooperation among agencies, organizations and businesses, people-to-people exchanges as well as educational, cultural and artistic activities have created a close and enduring foundation for bilateral ties.

Delegates pose for a commemorative photo. (Photo: Bao Ngoc).

The “Denmark in Your Eyes” contest is a vivid example of how friendship can be nurtured through simple and familiar activities. It is seen when Vietnamese children learn about Denmark and express their thoughts through drawings; when those artworks are warmly received by the Danish Embassy and brought back to serve the community in Viet Nam; and when pediatric patients color and draw together, creating dreams of a greener, healthier and more livable world.

Ambassador Lina Gandlose Hansen said that despite their geographical distance, Viet Nam and Denmark share many values, including sustainable development, creativity, strong communities and the aspiration to create better conditions for people to live, learn and develop.

During the year marking 55 years of diplomatic relations, the children’s paintings at E Hospital serve as a reminder that relations between the two countries are built not only through agreements and official meetings. They are also strengthened through friendship, sharing, cultural exchanges and encounters between people.

From innocent strokes and vibrant colors, the spirit of Viet Nam-Denmark friendship continues to spread, bringing an added touch of green to the hospital, more joy to pediatric patients and another meaningful story of connection between the two peoples.

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