About the contest
Within the framework of World Soil Day 2020, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS), and the Global Soil Partnership (GSP) are launching a scientific children's book contest on Soil Biodiversity with the motto "Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity". The aim of this competition is to provide an opportunity for participants to:
- promote scientific knowledge;
- raise awareness of the threats posed by soil biodiversity loss; and
- stimulate educational activities, engagement of young people and schools in soil science.
The competition is aimed at anyone who is interested in soil and biodiversity. This can include soil scientists, researchers, professors, teachers, classrooms, individual students, soil practitioners, designers, photographers or experts from any professional background, and NGOs.
How to take part
Submit your freestyle book proposal for children based on the WSD 2020 motto: "Keep soil alive, protect soil biodiversity". The book is intended for children between 6 and 11 years old and should represent the vital role that soil and biodiversity play in sustaining human welfare, ensuring future agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability.
Requirements
- Books will only be accepted in English and can be in color or black and white, and in free genre literay.
- Books must be submitted in PDF format with images in high resolution (min 600 dpi).
- Books should be a maximum of 16 pages in length, including: (1) Cover; (2) Content (freestyle); (3) Back cover.
- It is suggested to work on A paper format , use visuals and do not exceed 2 000 – 3 000 words in text length for the entire book.
- Each author and/or group of authors can only submit one entry.
Submission and deadline
Submissions should be sent by 10 November 2020 through any free file transfer service/platform (i.e. Google drive, Share drive, WeTransfer, Dropbox) to [email protected] and [email protected].
In the submission email, author(s) must fill out and submit the mandatory Registration form. Download the concept note.
Prize
The winner will receive a cash prize of 1 000 USD. The second and third prize will receive a cash prize of 500 USD and the fourth and fifth of 250 USD respectively. The sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth classified received a consolation prize of 200 USD. Shortlisted participants will receive publications on soils, a certificate of participation, a mention on the websites (fao.org; iuss.org), and soil gadgets. The best scientific books - elected by the Jury - will be showcased on FAO, IUSS and GSP digital and social media platforms. The winners will be announced on World Soil Day, 5 December 2020.