Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement
The Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, working in the field of environmental education. Since its foundation in 1993 the Movement has achieved its prestige in and outside Bulgaria through activities and initiatives dedicated to nature protection, environmental education and awareness raising and with major influence in the schools, resorts and municipalities of Bulgaria.
Ever since its inception the functioning of the Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement is organized and carried out on voluntary principles. Despite the fact that the organization had never had any paid personnel all its initiatives are conducted with utmost enthusiasm and with flying colours.
The Movement is managed by its Chairman and a five-member Executive Board, while the operational running of its activities is done by national coordinators.
The Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement is a full member and the Bulgarian representative of the Foundation for Environmental Education – an international organization with members from over 70 countries, and successfully runs its programs in Bulgaria:
- “Blue Flag” – This Program unites tourism and environment sector at a local and national level, aiming to promote clean and safe beaches and marinas, educate the whole community in protecting the coastal environment and encourage voluntary involvement in environmental action. The Blue Flag Program is very well accepted in the country and the best beaches, resorts and marinas are awarded the Blue Flag for their successful environmental management every year since 1995.
- “Еco-Schools” – By raising students’ awareness of environmental issues, Eco-Schools Program is a flexible way of supporting environmental education through classroom study and applying this to the day-to-day running of schools. It also encourages environmental responsibility both at home and in the wider community. The Eco-Schools Program is an excellent tool which successfully transformed many Bulgarian schools into responsible for the environment organisms, caring for and saving its resources – water and energy and managing their waste in the best possible way.
- “Learning about Forests” aims to encourage school classes and teachers to use forests in educational activities and equips them with the necessary tools to go to the forest and learn from it and with it. The Program reflects all the functions forests fulfill for people: cultural, ecological, economical and social. The Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement is one of the pioneers that founded and started the Learning about Forests Program in 1999 and implements its philosophy in the schools and kindergartens of Bulgaria taking into consideration and promoting the vital role of the forest for our survival.
- “Green Key” aims to raise the awareness of leisure establishment staff and clients, to increase the use of sustainable methods of operation and technology, to run ecologically sound and responsible businesses, and thereby reduce resource and energy usage. The Green Key Program is the youngest FEE Program in Bulgaria, but within months it develops ambitiously anticipating the interest of the fastest growing sector of Bulgarian economy – the tourism.
The Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement has good experience in organizing and participating in youth activities including conferences and international exchanges.
It was for many years the Bulgarian representative of the Clean Up the World Campaign and organized annually its national events managing mass clean-up activities throughout the whole country with remarkable effect.
The Movement is the national representative of the Earth Day Network settled in the United States and promotes its climate change, green economy, carbon pollution and environmental education principles and philosophy through projects, initiatives and celebrations.
It is also the National Contact Point for the U4Energy International Project and its experts evaluate the numerous projects, based on energy, submitted for the competition. The Movement successfully organized and hosted the regional award ceremony for the Project where participants from South-Eastern European countries were acknowledged for their achievements.
The Movement organizes annually the International Children’s Painting Competition-Exhibition “Children draw the flowers, the sea, the world”.
In its 20th anniversary the Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement is a preferred national and international partner for implementing projects and initiatives and it looks forward to new challenges in the field of environmental education and nature protection and more collaborators for making the world a better place together.
Eco-Schools Program E-mail: petya_j@yahoo.com
Blue Flag, Learning about Forests and Green Key Programs
E-mail: skgbg2000@yahoo.com
Bulgarian Blue Flag Movement
1A Vasil Levski st.
8200 Pomorie
Bulgaria
E-mail: bulblueflag@yahoo.com