IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action), founded in July 2011, is an initiative that strongly supports dialogue and action among youth in addressing global environmental problems. One of the main directions of its activities is the acknowledgement of the role of early education in ensuring peoples’ environmental-friendly behavior and actions. For this purpose, IDEA has been engaged in numerous projects in middle schools and universities, including round-table discussions, environmental essay and design contests, tree-planting, mass clean-ups, workshops and awareness-raising campaigns. In order to ensure a better understanding of life sustainability, balance of nature, ecosystems, biodiversity, climate change and other vital environmental issues among young people, IDEA is announcing a new book writing project.

Description & Concept
Local and foreign authors, experts, leaders with an environmental science background and expertise, as well as professors and graduate students are invited to write a textbook on environment, to be used as part of an elective course in middle schools in Azerbaijan.
The goal of the project is to develop a book that addresses the most important and challenging environmental issues and the basic concepts of environmental sustainability.
The final product can be authored either by a single person or co-authored by various people. However, in the case of the latter, the honorarium will be divided among the authors.
The writing languages are both Azerbaijani and English. If in English, IDEA will hold the responsibility for full translation and editing of the final product.

Process & Timeframe
Writers interested in applying for the tender, should send full package of materials as email attachments, including a brief description and abstract of the proposed project (max 1000 words with endnotes) with attached timesheet, tentative topic and framework, a writing sample, and a resume (publishing history and contact information should be included) to the IDEA email, info@ideacampaign.org. For blind review process, personal information should not be included on the manuscript or the abstract.
Persons wishing to nominate a candidate as an author should also contact IDEA as noted above. IDEA will accept abstract proposals and applications until September 30, 2012.
Acceptance notification will be sent to authors on 30 October 2012, following approval by an external Scientific Board comprised of well-known scholars in the field. Winners will be selected among many applicants for both the quality of their writing, as well as the age-sensitiveness and originality of their proposal.
Following approval by the board, the author/authors will be required to work in a stage-by-stage manner, submitting rough drafts of chapters on due deadlines, as indicated in their approved timesheet and framework. The complete rough draft of the proposal should be submitted no later than December 2012.
Publication of the book is scheduled for second half of 2013.
IDEA reserves the right to make final cuts and editions to the project, following the complete submission of the book.
Further information about the project will be made available on the IDEA website, www.ideacampaign.org.

Format (completely revised):

• Written permission should be obtained from the copyright holder to reproduce any copyrighted material.
• A4 size, with following margins (top and bottom margins – 2 centimeters, left margin – 3 cms, right margin – 1.5 cms) should be used.
• Only Ms. Word (compatible) files will be accepted.
• Other types of files must be converted to Word before submission.
• 12-point Times New Roman should be used for all text, including the endnotes.
• All pages should be double-spaced, including the endnotes, headings, and captions, with two-cm margins all around.
• Page numbers should be included in the bottom right margin.
• Hyphens should not be used to break words at the ends of lines.
• Only one space should be used after each period mark.
• Footnotes have to be formatted electronically in Ms. Word as endnotes and conform to “Humanities Style” in The Chicago Manual of Style. Notes should include all bibliographic information required by the Chicago Manual of Style.
• Any images (photos, maps, or illustrations) that will be accompanying the text should be submitted scanned at no less than 300 dpi, at the size in which they would be published. It is the responsibility of the author to obtain official written permission to reprint an image from the copyright holder or owner, including preferred wording for crediting the source of the image. Any cost involved is the responsibility of the author.

Honorarium
The winning author / authors will be granted 10.000 AZN (≈13000 USD) as payment for their work. All other costs, including translation, printing, publishing, and distribution of the book will be covered by IDEA.
Authors will receive first half of their payment upon completion of 50% of the book content. The full compensation will be made only after the final cut is approved by the scientific board.

Project Endorsement
This book project will be implemented by IDEA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, Ministry of Education, and Ministry of Youth and Sport of the Republic of Azerbaijan.