site.btaBTA Gets Award from ProSport Foundation and Special Olympics Bulgaria
The Bulgarian News Agency (BTA) received a 2024 award from the ProSport Foundation for impartial and empathetic coverage of the sporting achievements of disadvantaged people over many years. BTA's Sports News Director Dimitar Velyov received an honorary plaquette at Thursday's event which was part of an international conference on "The Revolution Is Inclusion: 30 Years of Special Olympics Bulgaria".
Velyov thanked for the recognition, saying: "It is an honour and responsibility for us at BTA to receive this award. Sport is an important part of integrating people with special needs. As a public media outlet, BTA does its best to give publicity to the initiatives and achievements of Special Olympics Bulgaria."
The annual ProSport awards, instituted in 2006 by the ProSport Foundation and Special Olympics Bulgaria, are given for a significant contribution to widening access to sport, for the development of volunteering in sport and for the social mission of sport.
This year's awards were given in 12 categories. BTA received the Media award.
The Youth and Sports Ministry was the winner in the State Institution category for supporting the Olympic sports federations to develop, through their clubs, sports for people with disabilities: basketball, tennis, field hockey and equestrian sports. The Bulgarian Football Union is the winner in the Sports Federation category for its long-standing support for the development of football for children and young people with intellectual disabilities, for holding a European Football Week and organizing 70 events in 31 locations across the country with the participation of over 1,360 children and young people with or without intellectual disabilities.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Petar Mladenov said: "Thank you for your work. I am happy that the Youth and Sports Ministry has programmes helping you and other NGOs so that people with disabilities can develop their potential."
Prof Milen Zamfirov, Dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies and the Arts of Sofia University, was distinguished for his lifetime contribution.
The Special Olympics movement was founded in 1968 and is recognized by the International Olympic Committee for the benefit of over 4.2 million people with intellectual disabilities. It provides activities and competitions in 32 sports in over 170 countries worldwide. In Bulgaria, Special Olympics started its programme in 1994 and is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
/RY/
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