‘Ethical Dilemma’ by Sian Hughes, age 13, joint winner of the 12-13 age group.
This year’s entries to the NATRE international Spirited Arts competition on the theme “Why Do Animals Matter?” were truly spectacular! It is the second year that Animal Interfaith Alliance (AIA) and Veganism in Education (VinE) have sponsored a theme that enables children and young people to explore human-animal relations and to think deeply about the moral and spiritual aspects of all living beings. Once again, we were blown away by the children’s extraordinary artistic creations and deeply reflective narratives. Each piece not only showcased remarkable talent but also conveyed profound insights into the significance of animals in our lives, offering thought-provoking perspectives on empathy and compassion through the unique lens of religious education.
View the Winners & Runners up here
This year’s judging held an extra special touch, as the founders of AIA and VinE travelled alongside our President, the esteemed academic Dr Richard Ryder, to RE Today’s headquarters in Birmingham. There, we had the pleasure of meeting the wonderful RE Today team and Angela Hill, the visionary behind RE Today’s pioneering resources on ethical veganism as a worldview. These resources were commissioned by VinE with input from AIA and have been freely available to teachers and schools since January 2023. Angela’s work inspired the animal theme and supported school engagement, enriching the children’s interpretations and bringing thoughtful, compassionate approaches to their artwork.
Selecting winners from thousands of entries proved immensely challenging, as each submission showcased exceptional creativity and insight worthy of recognition. We are especially grateful to our President, Dr Richard Ryder, for undertaking the difficult task of selecting the theme’s winners and runners-up.
Dr Ryder said: “I have very much enjoyed helping in the judging of the Spirited Arts competition, and I thought the children showed high levels of creativity and concern for the animals. I am proud also as AIA’s and VinE’s President that so many children showed a clear ethical concern.
“I believe, as a psychologist, that most children are concerned and interested in members of other species. This is not just a children’s interest, but one that can and should last throughout life. In my childhood, however, adults too often tried to stop this interest as being “sissy”. Far from it: such interests and compassion are the foundation for a moral community of all painient beings”.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone involved – teachers, students, NATRE and the RE Today team – for making this year’s theme a resounding success! We can’t wait to judge the entries to next year’s animal theme!
You can access the FREE ethical veganism as a worldview resources from RE Today & VinE here: Classroom Resources for RE (RE Today) – Veganism in Education
Animal Interfaith Alliance 