Competition rules...

These Rules of the Online Competition (“Rules”) apply to the “connect2earth” Online Competition and by submitting entries to the the later you agree to be bound by these Rules and to become a User of the “connect2earth” website and to comply with the Terms and Conditions for “connect2earth” services

1. Organizers.

1.1. The Online Competition is organized by WWF-World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), and International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN) (“the Organizers”).

2. Qualifying Entrants.

2.1. To participate in the Online Competition, you must start by registering on connect2earth website at www.connect2earth.org (“Site”).

2.2. You must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to participate, and if you are still under the statutory age limit in your country you must also have the permission of a parent or guardian.

2.3. This Online Competition is open to Online Competitors anywhere in the world except to persons in countries where this Online Competition and/or participating in it is not allowed or subject to a registration or permit.

2. 4. The Online Competition is open to the employees and immediate family members of the Organizers including affiliated organizations (list available upon request), and of Starcut, the company developing and managing this Site, provided that these participants shall not be eligible for the Grand Prizes, but shall be eligible to a special prize like mentioned in paragraph 4.7.

2. 5. No purchase or admission fee is necessary to participate.

2. 6. To enter the Online Competition you need to provide your full name, gender, age, email address, telephone number and country of residence (personal data). The personal data you submit via the entry form will be assembled into a database that is used for evaluating the entries, managing the Online Competition and for administrative purposes relating to prizes. Your personal data will not be used for any purposes other than for the purposes of this Online Competition and as otherwise stated below.

2.7 The organizers and the Sponsor reserve the right to display your name when showing content you have submitted to the Online Competition, unless you separately tell us otherwise when completing your registration.

3. Competition Entries

3.1 Online Competitors are invited to present content to the Online Competition on environmental issues and solutions.

3.2 Online Competitors may submit content in the form of text comments, videos and photos.

3.3. Each participant in the Online Competition is entitled to submit multiple entries. Each entry will be rated individually by users and a rating per participant will be calculated.

3.4 Entries containing profanity, nudity, depictions of violence, threatening language or actions, offensive, improper or prohibited content and entries that are inappropriate, indecent, harmful, discriminatory or obscene or infringe any third party intellectual property rights or are abusive of another person’s right of privacy or other personal rights (as determined by the Promoters at their sole discretion) and entries not confirming to rules, terms and conditions of the Online Competition (for example incomplete entries) can be automatically disqualified at the discretion of the organizers. Those entrants may not be notified of any such decision. The Organizers reserve the right to deny the posting of and take down entries that are determined not to comply with the Rules.

3.5 The Online Competition is open for entries received from6 April, 2009until 31 March 2010, inclusive.

4. Prize Winners and Prizes

4.1 There are 2 categories of prizewinners (1) the theme prize winners, (2) the Grand Prize winners. Two types of rating will be used: one per contribution and a second per user, equal to the sum of all of a user’s contributions.

4.2 One theme prize winner is selected by the theme expert at the end of each theme featured, among the 10 most popular members for this topic (according to each individual’s rating). The winner is selected based on the quality of his/her contributions, his/her participation in the discussions, and his/her involvement over time. The overall score of each member is not a key influencer .

4.3 The theme prize winner will be sent a notification by email by the Organizers and announced on the Site. Prizes for the theme prize winners can be a book or a plush toy . In case the theme prize winner is unable or, for whatever reason, fails to accept this prize, the prize will not be distributed to another participant.

4.4 At the end of 31 March 2010, a Jury will review the 10 best rated contributors and the 3 past Theme winners, and will elect one Grand Prize winner (the “Final prizewinner”). The winner is selected based on the quality of his/her contributions, his/her participation in the discussions, and his/her involvement over time. The overall score of each member is not a key influencer .

4.5 The Grand prize winners will be sent a notification by email by the Organizers and announced on the Site.

4.6 The Grand Prize winner elected at the end of the first period will win a trip to a WWF environmental project. In case the Grand Prize winner is unable or, for whatever reason, fails to accept this prize, the trip will be offered to another winner that the Jury will elect.

4.7 Special prizes may be awarded at the discretion of the Organizers. Winners will be sent a notification by email by the Organizers.

4.8 Prizes must be taken strictly as notified on the Online Competition site. None of the prizes will be substituted with cash or with any other prize. If the Online Competitor is not entitled to receive the prize, the prize will be given to the guardian or to another Online Competitor at the discretion of the Organizers.

4.9 The prizewinners will be responsible for paying all taxes associated with winning the prize, and reporting prizes to tax authorities as may be required. All costs associated with the prize, including, but not limited to, telephone operator subscription fees, insurances, transfers, spending money and other expenses as the case may be, not included in the prize, are the sole responsibility of the prizewinner.

4.10 The prizewinners need to expressly accept the prize. If the Organizers have not received the prizewinners’ acceptance by email in one week after the Organizers have sent a notification to the prizewinner by email, the prizewinner looses eligibility for the prize.

4.11 The Organizers will not enter into any communications in relation to the procedural issues or results of the Online Competition before the prizewinners are announced as above.

4.12 The decision of the Jury as to the Final prizewinners is final and no correspondence or other communication will be entered into.

5. The Jury

5.1 The Jury will be composed of senior Environment experts from WWF and IUCN,, and will potentially include a senior representative of the Nokia’s Environmental Affairs division. The Jury may be expanded to include other Conservation experts and to personalities representing the voice of the young generation chosen by the organizers.

6. Publicity

6.1 Prizewinners may be invited to take part in events produced by the Organizers. The organizers reserve the right to use the names and addresses of the winners, their photographs and Online submissions in publicity.
6.2 Any personal data relating to Online Competitors will not be disclosed to a third party without the individual’s prior written consent.

7. Intellectual Property Rights

7.1By entering the competition, you automatically grant to the Organizers, jointly and severally, a worldwide, perpetual, royalty-free, non-exclusive assignable and sub-licensable right and license to use, reproduce and have reproduced, modify and have modified, publicly perform and display User Content as defined herein including entries to the competition for promotional and any other business purposes.

7.2 The grant of rights shall be free of charge and irrevocable. The Organizers may sub-licence the rights granted above. The Organizers and their partners may use the entries in connection with the Online Competition and for any other purpose and make them available to the public.

7.3 By participating in the Online Competition you warrant that you have all rights to the entry and the image/video, and that the people appearing in the image/video have given you an express permission that the image/video will be used as stated in these Rules.

7.4 User Content includes, without limitation, the competition entries, images, icons, photographs, graphics, sounds, music, videos, texts, software, feedback, data, messages, answers, questions, comments, suggestions, scores, hints, ideas, plans, orders, requests or the like or any other materials, excluding personal data as provided in the Terms & Conditions.

8. Liability

8.1 The Organizers accept no liability for lost, damaged, misdirected, or delayed entries or notifications. Furthermore, the Organizers accept no liability for any technical difficulties or circumstances which are not fully in their control which may affect the end result of the Online Competition or the entry to the Online Competition or the electronic communication.

8.2 The Organizers cannot accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury or disappointment suffered by any Online Competitor entering the Competition or as the result of accepting any prize.

8.3 These Rules shall be interpreted and applied in accordance with the laws of Switerland. Any and all disputes that may arise between the Parties under or in connection with those Rules, which have not been amicably settled, shall be finally settled in arbitration in accordance with the International Arbitration Rules of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The arbitration shall be conducted in Geneva, Switzerland, in the English language. The award shall be final and binding on the Parties.