E.ON’s 3rd Annual Champions of Earth: Turning Concern for the Future Into Action

Since its launch in 2023, E.ON’s Champions of Earth competition has engaged one in ten kindergartens and schools in Hungary. While that reach is a significant, the programme’s greatest value lies in how it reshapes kids’ ability to think about environmental problems. With E.ON’s support, feelings of uncertainty about the future are being transformed into action through inventive, student-led sustainability projects.

The numbers tell a convincing story. Each year, the contest, which recently held its annual awards ceremony, has grown into a nationwide movement since it was first announced. In fact, this year’s competition received around 350 entries. Of those, 13 projects have been selected each to receive a maximum of HUF 2.5 million in funding. Since 2023, the judging committee has reviewed a total of 1,200 entries, with 42 educational institutions, from kindergartens to primary and secondary schools, having been collectively awarded HUF 75 million.

Entries are evaluated by renowned experts and public figures working to shape environmental awareness. The jury panel includes climate researcher and IPCC Vice-Chair Dr Diána Ürge-Vorsatz, journalist and climate communications expert Réka Nagy, Managing Director of Planet Fanatics’ Network, Katalin Szomolányi, actress Lia Pokorny, who has authored a collection of sustainable recipes, and jury chair Guntram Würzberg, President and CEO of E.ON Hungária Group.

Their task is not easy, as the number of imaginative, detailed and feasible projects always exceeds the number of available awards. Many experienced participants return to the competition year after year, and the teachers get to gain more experience during the professional knowledge-sharing days. Because the contest encourages projects that involve the active participation of parents and local communities, its impact on environmental awareness is even greater.