The "Bamse Kindness Award" will be presented this fall by the magazine Bamse, which is owned by Story House Egmont. The award is given to an adult who has made a difference through courage, kindness and consideration.
"We want to show how important kindness is and highlight that adults also need to be kind," says Charlotta Borelius, editor-in-chief of Bamse.
Importance of kindness
Three adult candidates will be presented in February. The public will then vote for the winner.
"In the times we live in right now, it feels like more kindness is needed," says Charlotta Borelius.
She emphasizes the importance of adult role models, as children often imitate their behavior.
"Children are affected by what is happening in the world around them - wars, environmental disasters and so on. It is important to understand the world and gain knowledge, but at the same time it is important to see what is positive and try to help where you can," says Charlotta Borelius.
The winner will receive 10,000 kronor to donate to an organization of their choice, a Bamse teddy bear as a traveling trophy, and a work of art depicting Bamse and the winner. The winner will also be able to give kindness tips to the young readers of Bamse magazine.
Teddy bear turns 60
The kind and strong bear, who eats thunder honey and stands up for justice, has since appeared in cartoons and his own comic book.
"Bamse hasn't changed that much. He stands by his humanistic values and still wants to help everyone," says Borelius.
"However, he was a little more violent in the beginning. He could throw pranks on the tops of fir trees; he does that very rarely these days. In that way, he has actually changed," she says.
First met the audience in 1966 as the title character in six black-and-white cartoons that were broadcast on Swedish Television. In the same year, Bamse also began to be published as a weekly series in the magazine Allers.
In 1973, Bamse got his own comic book, with Rune Andréasson as editor-in-chief.
During the 1970s, Bamse grew significantly as a brand, with more films and books as well as products such as soft toys and coloring books.
In 1990, Rune Andréasson left the editorship of Bamsetidningen.
Between 1995 and 1998, Rune Andréasson wrote 61 new comic scripts, intended for publication after his death. Rune Andréasson died in 1999, when Bamseredaktion gained access to his scripts.
In 2017, Bamsetidningen was named magazine of the year in the popular press category for its public education work on source criticism. In 2022, the magazine was awarded the Swedish Journals' Grand Prize.
Bamse will turn 60 in 2026. The magazine Bamse is published by the media house Story House Egmont.
Source: Bamse.se and the trade magazine Journalisten.
