If the saying “Dreamers are the saviours of the world” rings true, then one of the 15 Toyota Dream Car Art Contest winners will grow to be the protectors of our world. These 15 dreamers from around the country aged between 5 and 15 were treated like royalty at the awards ceremony held at the Toyota museum in Johannesburg on 22 April 2016.
The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest is a platform for Toyota to engage with children in South Africa and around the world through a national and an international contest.
“This year we celebrate the 10th year of this competition. It has grown from strength to strength, proven by both the number as well as the quality of entries. This competition is popular with the children of South Africa and is very dear to our hearts as it inspires the minds of children and allows adults to see the world from a different angle. The amount of talent we have seen through this competition is remarkable,” says Nicole Ruiters, Senior Manager Sponsorships and Promotions at Toyota South Africa Motors.
The contest is held annually, with Toyota affiliates around the world conducting a national competition in three age categories namely: under 8 years old, 8 to 11 years old and 12 to 15 years old. The top five contestants win prizes on a national level and the top three are subsequently entered into the international competition which is judged in Japan with Akio Toyoda, President and CEO of Toyota Motor Corporation as the head of the judging jury.
Over the past four years, four South African children have been finalists in the international competition held in Japan.
This year, entry forms were sent to over 200 schools around South Africa as well as all Toyota dealerships with the mandate to mobilise their communities to enter the competition. Over 6500 entries were received, all well designed, intricate and imaginative. Similar to previous years, the 10 to 12 year old category illustrated that their imaginations are very active and there are no limits. The 13 to 15 year old category shows maturity, not only in their designs but also in the advanced technology used for efficiency and overall for a better South Africa. The team of judges for the national competition included Toyota South Africa Motors creative team and the final decision was made by Matthys Esterhuysen, from the advertising agency Draft FCB.
The three winners are equally talented but all have very different vehicles. Kirsten Nel won the under 8 category with his “Super-duper-Safari-trooper”, a car that acts as a home away from home no matter where you are. It has a built-in swimming pool especially for the hot summer days with superb off-road capability making it perfect for the outdoors.
Aashi Phatak won the 8 – 11 year old category with her car named “Toyota’s Chariot Space car”. Her car allows human kind to explore the unknown galaxies and learn more about the planets.
The winner for the 12 – 15 year old category is Kailey Erasmus. She designed a “Mobile Nanny” which would transport children to and from school and extra-mural activities when parents are at work. The car would be self-driving with various capabilities to ensure the safety of the children.
“I would like to congratulate all the winners and wish them well for the international competition. We would also like to thank all the children and their parents who have entered the competition and contributed to its success. My hope for this competition is that it reaches more children in the future and continues to inspire them to dream. I would also like to thank the schools and all our Toyota dealers for their support and participation,” concluded Ruiters.
For a full list of winners and to view their artwork, visit www.Toyota.co.za.
