Spivprostir Journalism Competition

The fourth national Spivprostir journalism competition has launched in Ukraine, organized jointly by the animal welfare platform NGO U-Hearts Ukraine and pet food manufacturer Kormotech. The initiative aims to support professional media coverage addressing the humane treatment of animals, pet parenting culture, and the societal dimensions of human-animal coexistence.

The competition features a total prize fund of UAH 100,000 distributed among five winners across several prize categories. Eligible works must be submitted by December 2, 2026, inclusive, with the official award ceremony scheduled to take place later in December 2026.

What is funded

The competition awards monetary prizes to recognize exceptional journalistic reporting on animal welfare and humane practices. The overall prize pool of UAH 100,000 is distributed as a Grand Prix of UAH 30,000, a first prize of UAH 25,000, a second prize of UAH 20,000, a third prize of UAH 15,000, and a dedicated special award of UAH 10,000.

Eligible submissions should explore critical animal welfare themes and solutions. Suggested topics include wartime shifts in attitudes toward pets, the transition from basic compassion to systemic responsibility such as sterilization and adoption, pet care during crises and power outages, evacuation narratives involving animals, and animal conditions in de-occupied territories.

Who can apply

The competition is open to individual journalists, authors, and full editorial teams across Ukraine. Participants may represent local, regional, or national media organisations spanning print, digital, television, and radio formats.

The organizers and jury encourage contributions that move beyond conventional narratives of guilt or anxiety. Entries should showcase multidimensional, solution-oriented perspectives, treating animals as distinct subjects within the broader social and natural context.

Conditions and requirements

Submitted materials must be published or broadcast between September 2, 2026, and December 2, 2026, inclusive. Acceptable channels comprise print outlets, official websites of digital media, radio, and television broadcasts. Content published exclusively on personal or institutional social media networks is ineligible, though official reposts on outlet social channels or YouTube are permitted.

Every participating material must incorporate a specific mandatory disclaimer at either the beginning or the end of the text or broadcast. The required wording states: ‘This material was created as part of participation in the Spivprostir competition, with support from the NGO U-Hearts Ukraine and Kormotech.’ Entries lacking this exact attribution will not be reviewed by the jury.

How to apply

Applicants must submit their work via the competition registration form by December 2, 2026, inclusive. The application requires providing a direct link to the published material, uploading the corresponding audio, video, or text file, or completing both actions.

Practical tip. Ensure the mandatory attribution phrase is explicitly inserted into your piece prior to publication or broadcasting. Editorial authors should coordinate early with their copy editors or producers, as any omission of the required disclaimer text will lead to immediate disqualification.

Applications are submitted on the donor’s page: kormotech.com.