ZAGREB, 28 Nov (Hina) - The Croatian volunteer reforestation initiative Boranka, which has planted over 130,000 saplings in fire-affected areas of Dalmatia over the past eight years, has won this year's Intercultural Achievement Award (IAA) in the Sustainability category.

The IAA, awarded by Austria's Ministry of European and International Affairs, honours projects promoting sustainability, youth engagement, human rights and cross-border cooperation.

The initiative's coordinator, Dan Špicer, said he was pleased that Boranka had been recognised as the best environmental campaign globally.

Launched in 2018 by the Croatian Scouts' Association with the assistance of the Imago Ogilvy agency and in cooperation with the Croatian Forests company, the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, the Civil Protection Directorate and other partners, Boranka reforests wildfire-damaged areas of Croatia. It has expanded to North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Educational programmes accompany the planting activities, teaching schoolchildren about forest and environmental protection and promoting cross-border cooperation. In 2020, Boranka earned the European Citizen award for promoting solidarity, creativity and EU values.