THE Myanmar Red Cross Society (MRCS) has invited young people to participate in a regional banner-making competition to mark World Blood Donor Day, which falls on June 14.

World Blood Donor Day is recognised in 192 countries with support from the World Health Organisation, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Federation of Blood Donor Organisations and the International Society of Blood Transfusion.

U Zaw Htoo Oo, a program officer from the Disaster Management Division of MRCS, said that this year the national societies in the Southeast Asia region have decided to organise a banner competition under the slogan, “Voluntary Blood Donation … We Can Do”.

Participants must be 16 to 25 years of age. Banners can be designed by individuals or by groups, and each participant can submit up to three different designs, which must be original and in the English language.

Participants must submit their designs on a CD to MRCS headquarters at 42 Strand Road, Botahtaung township, Yangon, not later than April 28.

“One of the goals of the contest is to increase awareness of the importance of voluntary, non-remunerated blood donations in ensuring safe blood collection,” U Zaw Htoo Oo said.

He said each national society will hold its own banner competition and will choose the top two designs to compete at the regional level.

“There is no plan to give prizes to the two winners from our country yet,” he said.