The environmental initiatives agency IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action) - led by the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Mrs Leyla Aliyeva – is organising a children's environmental competition called “Happy Leopards”.  As part of the competition, children can send photographs to the IDEA Foundation, in which they are dressed as leopards, or other 'big cats'.

The aim of the contest is to foster a love for leopards – and in fact, for all kinds of animals – in young children... to provide kids with information about the lives of these animals; about the areas where these rare animals have their natural habitats; and the need to care for their survival.

The rules of the contest permit photographs to be sent in any format – taken with a professional camera, or snapped on a mobile phone. Photographs should be be uniquely submitted to this contest only, and each photographer is limited to a maximum submission of two photographs.  Children can use crayons or markers to heighten their animal-like appearance in the pictures. The contest is open to children of up to 15 years of age. Photographs which fall outside the rules for the contest won't be accepted.

The members of the jury will be looking for a total of three winning photographs, based on artistic and photographic merit.  Valuable prizes are on offer to the winners.

Entrants for the competition should email a copy of their photograph to the organisers, using the message-subject “Happy Leopards”, at [email protected]. The closing date for entries is 15^th January 2015. As well as attaching their photograph(s), entrants should also state their forename, surname, and age,  and information giving their contact details. 

We look forward to receiving your entries!