General Information

In 2019 a group of international academics involved in Middle East and South East Asia conflict resolution were asked to exchange ideas with a team of international legal experts from Houston, Texas, USA. 

Working in fragile environments during the COVID years, they developed a new vision to address conflicts within state governments, indigenous groups and local communities. 

IPD International Development was founded on the belief that Harmony is the path to Peace, and that Peace has a constant presence in our lives. 

In 2022 following their proven method to handle disputes, the team formed IPD International Development in Houston, Texas, to prevent conflicts and resolve disputes whilst upholding the United Nations system of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s).

A focus of IPD is to assist dispute resolution by making, building and sustaining cultures of Harmony, particularly in areas where conflict is a daily threat to innocent civilians.

The Harmony Peace Price  Art Competition honors the advancement of Harmony and Peace, through the arts, under the theme, “The Palace of Harmony”. USA national and international artists are invited to submit their artwork capturing their own interpretation of the concept of Harmony, including at least one of the three harmonic principles: Diversity, Respect and Prosperity.

The general rules and regulations listed here apply to the IPD Harmony Peace Prize  Art Competition.

IPD is a registered non-profit company based in Houston, Texas, USA, that focuses on harmonic techniques for peace development at an international and national level.

THE HARMONY PEACE PRIZE  OFFICIAL RULES

BY PARTICIPATING IN THE HARMONY PEACE PRIZE  ART COMPETITION (“COMPETITION”), EACH PARTICIPANT REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT THEY MEET THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS DETAILED WITHIN THESE OFFICIAL RULES AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT FAILURE TO MEET ALL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. ENTRY CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES. ALL ENTRIES AND REQUESTS BECOME THE PROPERTY OF INTERNATIONAL PEACE DOCTORS, LLC. (THE “SPONSOR”). 

Competition begins at 9 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on 27th November 2024,  and ends at 5 PM (ET) on 15th November 2025,  (“Competition Entry Period”).

ELIGIBILITY: Competition is open to artists of the United States and Internationally (where permitted by law).  Competitors must be age 18 or older at time of entry, or legal age of majority where the competitor is legally resident (“Entrant” or “You”).  Employees of Sponsor and its affiliates and their immediate family members are not eligible to enter or win. Competition is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor’s decisions are final and binding on all matters.

HOW TO ENTER: By completing the entry registration form. 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY Except where prohibited by law, entry submission grants the Sponsor the right in perpetuity to reproduce, publish, use, edit, adjust, modify, abridge, condense, sublicense, and excerpt such Artwork and/or comments in any way, in any and all media, without limitation and without compensation to Entrant. 

The winning Entrants will ship (at sponsor’s cost) their Artwork to the Sponsor. Such submission will constitute Entrant’s consent to irrevocably assign and transfer to Sponsor any and all rights, title, and interest in and to the Artwork, including, without limitation, all copyrights, provided however, Sponsor will grant back to the winning Entrants the right and license to display an image of the Artwork.  The Sponsor may publish and/or promote Artwork, or a portion of an Artwork. If an Artwork, or a portion of Artwork is selected for publication and/or promotional purposes, it does not imply that it is a winning Artwork in this Competition, nor does it create a confidential relationship between you and the Sponsor or any of its respective affiliates or subsidiaries.

ORIGINALITY The Artwork must be the original work of the Entrant, may not have been previously published, may not have won previous awards, and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property, or other rights of any person or entity. If the Artwork contains any material or elements that are not owned by the Entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the Entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the Artwork, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the Artwork by Sponsor in the manner set forth in these Official Rules, including, without limitation, name and likeness permissions from any person who appears in or is identifiable in the Artwork. If any identifiable person appearing in the Artwork is under the age of majority in their state of residence, the parent or legal guardian is required to provide permission. Sponsor reserves the right to request proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to Sponsor from any Entrant at any time. By submitting an Artwork, the Entrant warrants and represents that they and/or any persons appearing or who are identifiable in the Artwork consent to the submission and use of the Artwork in this Competition, and to its submission in connection with the Competition. Entrant agrees to fully indemnify and defend Sponsor and the Competition Entities from any and all third-party infringement claims that may arise out of its breach of these representations and warranties.

By submitting an original work of art and short narrative (collectively “Artwork”), Entrant understands and grants permission for the Artwork to be posted on a website for viewing by visitors to the website. Sponsor and Competition Entities are not responsible for any unauthorized third-party use of any Artwork.

CONTENT GUIDANCE  Entries must comply with the following content guidelines to be eligible:

• Content cannot be sexually explicit or suggestive, unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional, or age group, profane or pornographic, or contain nudity;
• Content cannot promote alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing), any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous, or any particular political agenda or message;
• Content cannot be obscene or offensive, endorse any form of hate or hate group;
• Content cannot defame, misrepresent, or contain disparaging remarks about other people or companies;
• Excepting that of the Sponsor, content cannot contain trademarks, logos, or trade dress (such as distinctive packaging or building exteriors/interiors) owned by others, or advertise or promote any brand or product of any kind,
  • without permission, or contain any personal identification, such as license plate numbers, personal names, email addresses, or street addresses;
  • Excepting that of the Sponsor, content cannot contain copyrighted materials owned by others (including graphs, sculptures, paintings, and other works of art or images published on or in websites, television, movies, or other media) without permission;
  • Content cannot contain materials embodying the names, likenesses, graphics, or other indicia identifying any person, living or dead, without permission;
  • Content cannot communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill to which Sponsor wishes to associate; and
  • Content cannot depict and cannot itself be in violation of any law or otherwise.
  • Plagiarism will result in disqualification.

  All entries must be received no later than 5 PM (ET) on November 15th, . Entries submitted after the deadline may will not be eligible to win.

  Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entry for any reason, in its sole and absolute discretion.

  At the conclusion of the Competition, a panel of judges  (“Judges”) from Peace Development in Geneva Switzerland, will determine the 3 prize winners utilizing the following judging criteria: (a) Most creative interpretation of the theme The Rise on Harmony (50%), (b) Inclusion of the principles of Harmony: Diversity, Respect and Prosperity (25%), and (c) Technical skill i.e. artwork that is neatly and carefully crafted (25%). Judges decisions are final and binding. Only winners will be notified.

  TIES: In the event of a tie, the entry from among the tied entries with the highest score in most creative interpretation of the theme will be declared the winner. In the event of a further tie, the entry from among the tied entries with the highest score received for best technical composition of the Artwork or video will be declared the winner. In the event of further ties, the Judges will make the final determination as to which entry will win.

  The Sponsor reserves the right to not award a prize if, in its sole and absolute discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries for a given category.

  THE ARTWORK SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

  • The Artwork must be the creation of a single artist. 
  • Each Artwork can be no larger than 1m x 1m x 1m
  • Each piece should weigh no more than 15kg.
  • Accepted mediums for the artwork are as follows:
  • • • Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.
      • Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels
      • Collages: must be two dimensional
      • Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints
      • Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.
      • Computer-generated art
      • Sculpting: stone, wood, metal
      • Photography

    COMPETITION PRIZES & CORRESPONDING 

    1^st Place USD 3,000

    2^nd Place USD 2,000

    3^rd Place USD 1,000

    WINNER NOTIFICATION: Eligible winners will be notified by email, and/or telephone, within 14 calendar days of the end of Competition Date, and may be required to complete and return a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and where permissible, a Publicity Release (“Affidavit/Release”), within seven days of date specified on notification, or an alternate winner may be determined. If an Affidavit/Release and/or if any required document(s) is not returned within such time period, or if a selected winner cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, or if they are not in compliance with these Official Rules, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be determined. Prizes are awarded within 30 days after winner verification. Prizes are non-assignable or transferable except to a surviving spouse. Winners acknowledge that the Sponsor and all other businesses concerned with this Competition and their agents do not make, nor are in any manner responsible for any warranty, representations, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relative the quality, conditions, fitness, or merchantability of any aspect of any prize. Each winner will be responsible for all federal, state, local, and income taxes associated with winning their prize. Incidental expenses on any prize not specified herein are each winner’s sole responsibility. Except where prohibited by law, entry and acceptance of prize constitute permission for Sponsor and its agents to use each winner’s name, prize won, hometown, likeness, Artwork and statements for purposes of advertising, trade, promotion, and publicity (including online posting) in any and all media now or hereafter known throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional compensation, notification, or permission.

    CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: Entrants agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of the judges and the Sponsor, and on their behalf, and on behalf of their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors, and assigns (“Releasing Parties”), release, 

    defend, and hold harmless the Competition Entities, as well as the employees, officers, directors, and agents of each (“Released Parties”), from any and all actions, causes of action, suits, debts, dues, sums of money, accounts, reckonings, bonds, bills, specialties, covenants, contracts, controversies, agreements, promises, variances, trespasses, lost profits, indirect or direct damages, consequential damages, incidental damages, punitive or exemplary damages, judgments, extent, executions, claims and demands whatsoever, in law, admiralty or equity, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, against Released Parties which any one or more of the Releasing Parties ever had, now have or hereafter can, shall or may have which in any way arise out of or result from Entrant’s participation, acceptance and use or misuse of any prize.

    In the event Sponsor is prevented from continuing with the Competition as planned herein by any event beyond its control, including but not limited to fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, satellite or equipment failure, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war (declared or undeclared) or any federal, state, or local government law, order, or regulation, or order of any court or other cause not within Sponsor’s control or concerns regarding the safety of any winner or guest, Sponsor shall have the right to modify, suspend, extend, or terminate the Competition. Entrants assume all liability for any injury, including death or damage caused or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Competition or use or redemption of any prize.

    This Competition shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of Texas, U.S. without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions. Entrants hereby agree that any and all disputes, claims, causes of action, or controversies (“Claims”) arising out of, or in connection with, this Competition shall be resolved, by binding arbitration pursuant to this provision and the code of procedures of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). NEITHER PARTY WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO LITIGATE THAT CLAIM IN COURT OR HAVE A JURY TRIAL ON THAT CLAIM. FURTHER, NEITHER SPONSOR NOR ENTRANT WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR OTHER PERSONS SIMILARLY SITUATED, OR AS A MEMBER OF ANY CLASS OF CLAIMANTS PERTAINING TO ANY CLAIM SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, THE ARBITRATOR’S DECISION WILL BE FINAL AND BINDING. NOTE THAT OTHER RIGHTS THAT ENTRANT WOULD HAVE IF ENTRANT WENT TO COURT ALSO MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ARBITRATION. The arbitrator’s authority to resolve Claims is limited to Claims between Sponsor and Entrant alone, and the arbitrator’s authority to make awards is limited to awards to Sponsor and Entrant alone. Furthermore, Claims brought by either party against the other may not be joined or consolidated in arbitration with Claims brought by or against any third party, unless agreed to in writing by all parties. No arbitration award or decision will have any preclusive effect as to issues or claims in any dispute with anyone who is not a named party to the arbitration. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement, and without waiving either party’s right to appeal such decision, should any

    portion of this provision be deemed invalid or unenforceable, then the entire provision (other than this sentence) shall not apply. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Competition, or in the announcement of any prize.

    Sponsor and Entrant agree that an arbitration award (“Underlying Award”) may be appealed pursuant to the American Arbitration Association’s Optional Appellate Arbitration Rules (“Appellate Rules”); that any the Underlying Award shall, at a minimum, be a reasoned award, and that the Underlying Award shall not be considered final until after the time for filing a notice of appeal pursuant to the Appellate Rules has expired. Appeals must be initiated within 30 days of receipt of an Underlying Award, as defined by Rule A-3 of the Appellate Rules, by filing a Notice of Appeal with any office of the American Arbitration Association.

    The Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by website users, or tampering or hacking, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Competition, and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction, or unauthorized access to the website. The Sponsor is not responsible for injury or damage to an Entrant’s or to any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in this Competition or downloading and/or uploading materials from or use of the Website. If for any reason, the Competition is not capable of running as planned by reason of infection by computer virus, worms, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which, in the sole opinion of the Sponsor could corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Competition, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Competition and determine winners from all eligible entries received prior to that action taken.

    Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered, or mass entries or entries generated by a script, macro, or use of automated devices are void. Entries made with multiple email addresses, under multiple identities, or through the use of any automated other device or artifice to enter multiple times will be deemed invalid. Mechanically reproduced, illegible, incomplete, or inaccurate entries are void. In the event of a dispute, entries (including Artworks and/or essays) will be deemed to have been submitted by the Authorized Account Holder of the email address provided at the time of entry. “Authorized Account Holder” means the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. Mechanically reproduced entries are not eligible. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, damaged, or misdirected entries.

    WINNERS LIST: Winners will be notified 14 calendar days after the end of the competition period.