The 16th edition of the National Student Competition "Health Ambassadors" started. The contest is held on initiative by the Ministry of Health to support the healthy lifestyle of young people. Its aim is the prevention of behavioural and health risk factors related to unhealthy diet, low physical activity, alcohol consumption, and smoking.

The Ministry of Environment and Water (MOEW) is a partner to the competition together with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the Ministry of Culture, the National Centre for Public Health and Analyses, the State Agency for Child Protection, the World Health Organization Regional Office in Bulgaria, and the Bulgarian Youth Red Cross.

This year's competition began in April and runs through December 2024, with three age categories: grades 1-4, grades 5-7, and grades 8-12. Classes of students in grades 1 through 12 from across the state are eligible to participate. Teachers of one or more classes, whether in the same grade level or not, may participate in the projects.

The competition will take place in two phases:

Phase One: From April 5 to May 15, 2024, participants submit projects in the area of chronic non-communicable disease prevention to the Ministry of Health.

Second phase: from 20 May to 30 October 2024, participants implement and report on the activities described in the projects.

A panel of experts, composed of representatives of the Ministry of Health and the partner institutions and organisations, will rank the participants by 5 November 2024. The results will be published on the websites of the Ministry of Health and the partners after 15 November 2024. The official award ceremony will take place in December 2024.

In accordance with their functional competencies and priorities, each partner institution  will nominates and provide prizes for the 12 best projects: 9 projects ranked first, second and third (3 in each age category for grades 1-4, grades 5-7, and grades 8-12) and 3 projects ranked for incentive prizes - one prize for each age category. The Ministry of Culture will provide the prizes for three projects ranked first in the three age categories.

The Ministry of Health, the WHO Regional Office in Bulgaria and the Bulgarian Youth Red Cross will each provide a prize in the category "Special Achievements in Public Health".

Full information on the competition regulations - application conditions, requirements for the content of the projects, evaluation criteria, evaluation stages, and prizes for the winners can be found in the attachments.

As every year, in 2024 the regional health inspectorates, regional education departments, and regional environmental and water inspectorates are ready to provide assistance to the participants.