“Youth for a Green Future” and BNT Won the “Free Electron” 2026 Awards

The “Youth for a Green Future” Association won the Audience Award in the BlueLink Foundation’s “Free Electron” 2026 competition. The special award was presented to Bulgarian National Television (BNT) for the segment “The Climate: The Hot Truth” in the “Around the World and at Home” news program. The two awards were announced on October 22, 2026, at The Steps in Sofia, as part of the international forum “Time for Action: Digital Protection for Defenders,” organized by the BlueLink Foundation.

Young environmentalists received the public’s support
The “Youth for a Green Future” Association won the People’s Choice Award with a total of 316 votes in the online poll on the contest’s official website, which concluded on October 20. Krasimira Yovkova and the organization’s chair, Martin Velichkov, accepted the award. The organization was nominated for its active work in support of climate justice, human rights, and youth civic engagement. In 2025–2026, the association organized training sessions and initiatives on sustainable development, participated in public consultations on environmental legislation, and developed international partnerships. Through online communication, educational activities, and civic advocacy, “Youth for a Green Future” encourages young people to actively participate in decision-making for a greener, more just, and more democratic future.

BNT’s Special Award for Climate Journalism
Bulgarian National Television received the 2026 “Free Electron” Special Award for its series “The Climate: The Hot Truth,” which presents climate change and its consequences through accessible, scientifically grounded television reports. The series launched in September 2025 on the “Around the World and at Home” news program and explores climate risks, adaptation, energy, and biodiversity. Through national television broadcasts and online distribution of the content, it makes complex climate issues more understandable to the general public, emphasized Genoveva Radeva, deputy director of the “News and Current Affairs” department, who accepted the award alongside reporter Petar Zhelev, who contributed to the production of the section.

As part of the award, BNT received a painting by the Armenian artist Tigran Avetyan (reproduction above). The choice of a work by an artist inspired by nature highlights the connection between art and climate journalism, which the award promotes, emphasized Bozhidara Andreeva, administrative manager of “BlueLink.” She presented the awards alongside the foundation’s executive director, Pavel Antonov.

Six Nominations for Digital Initiatives in the Public Interest
“BlueLink” has been presenting the “Free Electron” Awards since 2009 for the strategic and skillful use of the internet and information technologies in the public interest. Since 2014, a People’s Choice Award has also been presented, determined by public vote. This year, six individuals, organizations, and initiatives were nominated for the award for their use of digital technologies to promote civic oversight, protect human rights, preserve nature, and ensure access to information of public importance.

Besides the winners, the nominees also included: Boyan Yurukov, for his work with open data and civic oversight of the urban environment; Irina Ivanova and the Facebook group “Violence at the Mall,” created as a space for civic response to youth violence; Lyubomir Kolev, for the digital platform “A Future for Memory” dedicated to preserving the country’s cultural heritage; and Martin Atanasov, for the projects “Black Track” and “Diagnosis Bulgaria,” which transform public data into accessible tools for civic oversight.
 

“Time for Action”: Digital Protection for Defenders
The awards ceremony marked the conclusion of this year’s “Time for Action” forum, dedicated to protecting environmental and human rights defenders from digital attacks and other forms of pressure.

The international discussion, “Defending Environmental and Human Rights Defenders Online,” focused on online threats, disinformation, public discrediting, and legal and institutional pressure against civic activists, as well as the need for more effective protection and mutual-support mechanisms. During the forum, the “BlueLink” Foundation also presented the portal developed as part of the BeLIFE project to assist with complaints regarding environmental issues. The tool is designed to guide citizens and environmentalists in cases of suspected violations of environmental legislation and to help them choose the appropriate mechanism for filing a complaint or seeking legal protection.

The forum linked the discussion of the risks faced by civic activists with practical means of protection and recognition for those who successfully use digital technologies in the public interest. More information about the forum is available at BlueLink.net/forum2026.

About BlueLink.net: BlueLink.net is a network for civic thought and action that supports the strategic use of digital communications by citizens and their organizations to protect the environment, strengthen democracy, and defend European values.

This publication was prepared as part of the BeLIFE project, co-funded by the European Union’s LIFE program, and with support from the DiEHaRD project—Digital Advocacy for Environmental Human Rights Defenders—implemented by the BlueLink Foundation with support from the Association for Progressive Communications (APC).

Co-funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the funding body is responsible for them. All publications from the BeLIFE project can be found here.

This publication is also co-funded by the DiEHaRD project—Digital Advocacy for Environmental Human Rights Defenders—implemented by the BlueLink Foundation with the support of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). The project strengthens the community of nature and climate defenders in Bulgaria and develops practical tools for collective digital advocacy, access to information, and the protection of environmental rights.

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