Scouts of Croatia win the European Citizens' Prize

The Scout and Guide Association of Croatia and its already internationally popular campaign Boranka (Paint it Back), has won the European Citizen’s Prize for 2020. It is a recognition given by the European Parliament for outstanding achievements in promoting European values and unity.

Dan Spicer, CEO of the Scout and Guide Association of Croatia and the main coordinator of the Boranka campaign, pointed out that the European Citizen’s Prize is a great honour and a great recognition for Scouts in Croatia: "Our Boranka campaign showed how love for nature and our country can unite the whole of Croatia, but also be a great example to other European countries of how to responsibly protect the environment and the community".

Boranka has so far involved more than 7,000 volunteers who have planted more than 85,000 new trees in the burned areas of Dalmatia. “That is why Boranka has become the largest European volunteer action to re-plant trees in areas burned by wildfires, but also the most awarded non-profit campaign in Croatia and the whole Adriatic region ever.” he added.

The Scout and Guide Association of Croatia is the largest organization for children and youth in the country. The Boranka campaign has been running since 2018. “We the Croatian Scouts continue our efforts to preserve nature in the future, and such awards are just an additional motivation for us to involve even more citizens and paint the black burned areas back to their original green shade," said Spicer.

The European Citizen’s Prize has been awarded since 2008 to individuals and organizations for initiatives that strengthen the European spirit of solidarity, creativity and motivation and encourage activities that specifically express the values contained in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. 

Citizens and associations can apply for this award independently, and candidates can also be nominated by members of the European Parliament. In each Member State, the national jury selects the finalists, and the final winners are decided by an Award Committee chaired by the President of the European Parliament.