BELGRADE, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- A children's painting competition was held on Monday at the HBIS Smederevo Steel Plant, Serbia, celebrating creativity and safety awareness while fostering a festive spirit as the New Year approaches.
The exhibition, themed "Always Stay Safe," showcased paintings depicting workers in safe environments, the national flags of Serbia and China, and modern facilities established by HBIS Serbia, a Chinese-owned steelmaker, over the past eight years.
This year's competition attracted 86 participants aged 6 to 14. In November, children and their families toured the plant's key facilities, including the towering Blast Furnace and the Hot Rolling Mill. The impressions of the tour inspired the artwork displayed in the exhibition and featured in HBIS Serbia's Children's Safety Calendar.
Among the standout winners was seven-year-old Vedrana Markovic, whose painting depicted Chinese and Serbian workers standing on planet Earth, holding their national flags and joining hands.
Song Sihai, director of HBIS Serbia, commended the young participants and emphasized the importance of nurturing a safety-first culture. He highlighted the company's substantial investments over the past eight years, which have improved safety, sustainability, and production standards.
Looking ahead, Song announced plans to launch a new phase of green, low-carbon initiatives next year, reaffirming the company's commitment to the local community.
