Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) held an awards ceremony for the 12th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest at Mega Web, Toyota's vehicle experience facility in Tokyo's Koto Ward, where the winning entries were announced and awards presented. Entries in this year's contest numbered approximately 650,000 from 76 countries and regions. The award-winning entries (shown below) were selected among winners in national contests.

Xylone Margareth Andariska (Indonesia, age 7)

"I made this alphabet car because I want to reduce illiteracy among people across the many regions of Indonesia. I want these cars to exist in our daily lives to give people easy access to learning the alphabet. I believe that the ability to read and write opens the doors to all aspects of life and provides people with a better quality of life."

The Alphabet Car also won the Engineering Inspiration Award, which is given to the entry (chosen by Executive Vice President Didier Leroy) that most inspires those in charge of car-making at Toyota.

"Alphabet Car" - Age 7 and under―Gold / Engineering Inspiration Award

Responding to the contestant's desire to have a car for learning the English alphabet, Toyota reproduced the Alphabet Car entry into a three-dimensional interactive model that features a road and 26 cars, one for each letter of the alphabet from "A" to "Z." Both the road and the cars are equipped with magnets. By using an electric motor to move the magnets, the cars can travel both in a straight line and along a curved line. The cars can be freely arranged to spell various words, offering unlimited possibilities for learning.

Gajewska Zuzanna Lila (Poland, age 11)

"I live in a big city which lacks parks and greenery, but I love Warsaw's Lazienki Park and its peacocks. It is they who inspired me to create a moving garden with a green hill and ponds, picnic spots, and places where people can plant their own flowers, trees, and more. My peacock can reach all the grey and boring districts. It is beautiful and glamorous, moving freely and matching its every surrounding."

"Pavonine Garden" - Ages 8-11―Gold

"Architecture & History Car" - Ages 12-15―Gold

Manivongxay Souksavanh (Laos, age 14)

"This car can rebuild old architectural structures and restore stories drawn on the walls of temples so that everyone can see them. It can also help people learn about important points in history, including those related to great people of the past."

Mayar Rabeea Faez Al Azi (Iraq, age 7)

"My dream car is one that can help fathers with physical impairments in their work on the farm."

"Farmer Car for People with Physical Impairments" - President Akio Toyoda Award

Comment by President Akio Toyoda

Mayar Rabeea Faez Al Azi's artwork is filled with a desire to help one's dear family and father have a better life. Furthermore, this picture conveyed to me Toyota's desire for wanting to create a world in which all people can move more freely by way of Toyota "mobility." That is why I have chosen it for the President Akio Toyoda Award.

Yatagama Lokuge Malindu Mihisara (Sri Lanka, age 14)

Two years ago, the contest launched the "Makes Me Smile! Award," which showcases entered artworks and gives a wide cross section of the general public the chance to participate in the judging process. The award is selected by votes cast through the contest's official website. This year, the winner was chosen as the result of numerous votes from 122 countries and regions.

"Toyota Time Traveling Car" - Makes Me Smile! Award (online voting award)

General Evaluation of the 12th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest Artworks (by the judging committee)

The artworks of the 12th Toyota Dream Car Art Contest were highly regarded by the judges, who were impressed by their exceptional quality, noting that this year's entries articulated dreams through lighter application of colors in contrast to past trends toward more vivid colors.

This year's entries also featured a broader range of colors, demonstrating, for example, that the use of colors in artworks from cold-region countries such as Ukraine and from tropical countries like Kenya left clear impressions of the countries from which the artists came.

The judges were also struck by the shift in messaging relayed by the artworks this year. Artworks that defied reality―flying and space-traveling cars―took center stage last year. In contrast, many of this year's artworks highlighted familiar, more realistic themes such as the environment, education, health, and the curing of diseases. The judges believe that this demonstrates children are acutely aware of issues of importance to the next generation, in addition to fantastical themes.

Toyota Dream Car Art Contest Outline

The Toyota Dream Car Art Contest, first held in 2004, gives children around the world the opportunity to feel the joy and importance of having dreams. It is also meant to provide children an occasion for developing an interest in cars. Thanks to the support and cooperation of the children around the world who draw/paint their works and send them in, and of the distributors and affiliates who organize local competitions in their respective countries or regions, the contest marked its 12th year in 2018.

There were approximately 650,000 entries from 76 countries and regions this year. National contests were held around the world from October 2017 to March 2018, with the winning artworks submitted to be judged in the world contest, which was held in April in Japan. President Akio Toyoda, art experts, and automotive specialists from outside Toyota judged the entries and selected the award winners in the contest's three age categories.

The Awards

One Gold award, two Silver awards, three Bronze awards, and four Encouragement awards are awarded in each of the three categories of "Age 7 and under," "Ages 8-11," and "Ages 12-15."

Special awards

There are three special awards: The President Akio Toyoda Award (chosen by President Akio Toyoda), the Engineering Inspiration Award (chosen by Executive Vice President Didier Leroy) and the Makes Me Smile! Award (an online voting award).