Lilyana Boyanova: Educating children from an early age to care for the environment and protect nature is extremely important

Viewers know Lilyana Boyanova as the news anchor of bTV News. In a very interesting interview for the special edition of BGlobal's "We are Bulgaria" magazine, she reveals another side of herself - that of a volunteer and advocate of socially responsible causes and initiatives.
How can a media group profess and preach green values? What is the experience of bTV Media Group?
In my opinion, modern companies need to set a good example and preach green values because we are already seeing the serious consequences of global warming, climate change and the pollution of the oceans and the planet caused solely by human activity. These environmental crises will only get worse over time if we are not all as involved as possible in solving them. So, what else can we do? The Earth is the only home we have ever had and known. If someone thinks it's more important to spend vast sums of money on colonizing the desert moon to 'save' humanity than to do everything in their power to save this paradise planet from ecological disaster - does that person sound serious to you, to say the least? If you can't imagine the ultimate effects of global warming on Earth, no problem - just look at pictures of Mars. "I know too few people who dream of the world their grandchildren will live in," said the American writer Kurt Vonnegut with great indignation and bitterness. So, when your descendants ask you one day what you did to stop the poisoning and destruction of the planet, what will your justification be?
For 12 years now, bTV has been running one of the country's largest voluntary green initiatives - Let's Clean Up Bulgaria Together. Are you turning the game around, as you promised in this year's slogan?
We turn the game around every year! This year's campaign set another new record for the number of polluted areas and unregulated dumps cleaned - 6811. The high score shows that this year's initiative was even bigger than last year's when the number of areas cleaned was 6,092. The number of sites restored and improved this year was 175. The amount of litter removed was over 4,341 tonnes and the number of volunteers who braved the bad weather to take part in the campaign was 282,120. There were also many companies and NGOs who sent many their employees to participate in the 2024 campaign - over 300, including 100 in the first year. All these numbers show how inspiring and significant the bTV Media Group initiative is.
What is your personal motivation to participate and be the face of the initiative?
I have been involved in the campaign every year since it started. I also want to set a personal example for my son, who is now a teenager, and make sure he is involved in the initiative with me. Educating children from a young age to care for the environment and protect nature is extremely important. As the author of The Little Prince, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, rightly said, 'We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children'. I believe that the relationship between us and nature must be strong to enjoy a happy life. The pollution and destruction of the planet will only stop if we not only take responsibility for the environment, but first clean and tidy our inner world - I think the two are connected. We need to realize our true strength - and that is to protect and defend all that is weaker, fragile and vulnerable. And not to ruin and destroy it just because we think we will go unpunished in time for our actions.
What do you learn from volunteers?
What is important is the desire and perseverance in our efforts to make the world we live in a better place. It doesn't matter what the weather is like outside, whether it's hot, rainy or freezing, more and more people are getting involved every year, which I find very inspiring. I have also seen many people with various age-related difficulties or illnesses who still take part in the clean-up on an equal footing with others.
The full interview can be read in the special issue of BGlobal magazine "We are Bulgaria", which is on the market from 15 December.