Marek Mach

Marek Mach is a civic activist and founder of several projects supporting democracy, human rights and tolerance. He belongs to the young generation who use modern communication tools to bring social issues closer to their peers and motivate them towards active citizenship.

He was born in 2001 in Senica, where he also grew up and studied at the regional Ladislav Novomeský Grammar School. At the age of fifteen he founded the civic association Mladí (Young People), through which he began developing projects supporting democratic values and civic engagement.

The best known of these is the project Mladí proti fašizmu (Young People Against Fascism), which focuses on fighting extremism, disinformation and expressions of hatred. Through social media, short videos and accessible language, it brings the themes of freedom, equality and tolerance closer to young people.

A distinctive feature of the project is its ability to reach even those young people who are not usually interested in political and social affairs. Marek Mach has thus created a space in which young people talk to young people about issues that affect their future.

The Mladí association is also behind other initiatives, including Mladí za klímu (Young People for the Climate), Správy Mladí (Young People News), the travel app Spoznaj svoj kraj (Discover Your Region) and the platform Dúhy.sk.

Marek Mach is also involved in initiatives supporting young people’s turnout in elections. Before the 2023 parliamentary elections he coordinated cooperation among non-governmental organisations that helped Slovak students in the Czech Republic to take part in the elections. The initiative included running two special election trains.

Similarly, for the second round of the 2024 presidential election, a free election train from Prague via Brno to Bratislava brought around 750 young voters. The initiative was financed by a public collection and no election campaigning was allowed on the trains. Its aim was to make it easier for young people to exercise their right to vote, regardless of their political preferences.

Marek Mach has received several awards for his civic engagement. In 2018 he was awarded the Journalism Prize of the Open Society Foundation. In 2020 he received the Sustainable Development Award in the Leader under 30 category from the Pontis Foundation. In the same year Forbes magazine included him in its prestigious 30 Under 30 list, which presents young personalities with innovative and socially beneficial work.

Through his activities, Marek Mach shows that young people too can actively help shape a democratic society. Through non-violent communication, education and civic initiatives he promotes critical thinking, respect for differences and the rejection of hatred.

The 2026 Anton Srholec Freedom Award is conferred on Marek Mach for his innovative approach to promoting democratic values, developing critical thinking among young people, spreading tolerance and respect for minorities, and for his significant contribution to the civic engagement of the young generation.