The acceptance of applications for the IV International Children's and Youth Award "Ecology is everyone's business" has begun, to which participants from all over the world, regardless of age, can send their creative works in the field of nature protection and environmental conservation. Applications for the fourth season are accepted from October 1, 2023 to April 1, 2024, the press center of the Award reports.

In previous seasons, applications for the Award were accepted from March to October, but in the new season the deadlines have been changed so that the prize-winners, winners and laureates of the project have the opportunity to receive preferences for admission to universities. In particular, this year the holders of diplomas of the prize–winner or the winner of the Award in the categories "Ecomir", "Ecobloger", "Ecomultfilm", "Ecoproject", "Generation of the Future", "Ecotourism", "Ecoprosveschenie", "Ecorisunok" and "Ecofocus" received two points upon admission to the top Russian university - National Research University "Higher School of Economics". Another partner, RUDN, accepted Samir Iskakov, a prize–winner of the Ecology is Everyone's Business award, for a budget place.

"The award "Ecology is everyone's business" gave an important start in the life of a graduate from the Saratov region. Thanks to participation in the competition and our agreements with universities, Samir Iskakov received a unique opportunity to study for free at the Institute of Ecology of the RUDN in the direction of "Energy- and resource-saving processes in chemical technology, petrochemistry and biotechnology". This chance can be given to anyone who presents the best project for environmental protection to our Award," said Svetlana Radionova, head of Rosprirodnadzor.

She thanked RUDN and HSE for supporting the Award and its participants and stressed that participation in the Award gives young people a chance to get a better education, build a future career and become involved in the implementation of the national development goals of the country.

Thanks to agreements with several Russian universities, project participants this year could also benefit from additional points for admission to the Northeastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov, National Research Tomsk State University and the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov. According to the initiator of the Award Svetlana Radionova, negotiations are underway on similar agreements with other universities.

Children, youth and adults, regardless of age, can participate in the Award. Creative works are accepted in 10 individual nominations – "Generation of the future", "Ecobloger", "Ecology of the soul", "Ecomir", "Ecomultfilm", "Ecoproject", "Ecoprosveschenie", "Ecorisunok", "Ecotourism", "Ecofocus", and two team nominations – "Eco-family" and "Ecosoyuz" (in previous seasons this nomination was called "Eco-school"). In the "Ecosoyuz" nomination, institutions and organizations that work in the field of environmental protection and environmental education with children from 0 to 18 years old can become participants, and in the "Ecosemya" nomination – families with children of the same age category. There is no upper age limit in the categories "Eco-education", "Ecology of the soul" and "Ecotourism", therefore, people of the older generation can participate in them, among others.

The works in the nominations "Ecoproject" and "Generation of the Future" have important practical significance and subsequently give the prize-winners and winners the greatest preferences for admission to universities. Also among the most time-consuming nominations is "Ecomultfilm", where participants are invited to create an animated video on the topic of ecology. The rest of the nominations are mostly creative in nature and allow you to become participants of the Award with a drawing or photo on any environmental topic, with the performance of a song, dance, rap or poem on the topic of environmental conservation, or even a demonstration performance in any sport in support of ecology.

The results of the fourth season will be announced in 2024. The results of the outgoing third season of the Award will be announced on November 22, 2023 during the conference at MIA "Russia Today", which will be broadcast online to all regions of Russia and foreign countries.

The project was supported and headed by the jury of the Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation on Agriculture, Ecology and real estate turnover Victoria Abramchenko.

Recall that "Ecology is everyone's business" is the Rosprirodnadzor award, which was established on March 31, 2021 and is awarded for interesting, non–standard ideas, initiatives and projects dedicated to preserving the environment, caring for nature and popularizing ecological culture. The award is held annually and involves children, youth and adults in the environmental agenda, encourages their activity in the fight for a clean planet. Since the beginning of the project, applications have been received from all 89 regions of Russia and more than 50 countries, and the number of works has exceeded 55 thousand. Prize-winners and winners received smartphones, tablets, vouchers to the Black Sea and training courses.

The award was supported: ANO "Center "Arctic Initiatives", JSC "Russian Railways", JSC "Uralchem", HSE, RUDN, Group of Companies "Mangazeya", Moscow Zoo, Russian Football Union, RIA Novosti, International News Agency and radio Sputnik, media holding "Russian Media Group", "VKontakte", MIC"Izvestia", "Public Television of Russia", ID "Komsomolskaya Pravda", "Children's Radio", "TV Channel 360", media holding "FederalPress", ID "Arguments and Facts", the All-Russian Society for Nature Protection and others.