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Echoes of Tomorrow
Official Terms and Conditions


This competition is organised by Dubai Future Foundation ("DFF") for the Echoes of Tomorrow (“Competition”). Set out below are the official terms and conditions of this Competition, which together with the Competition Guidelines apply to and govern this Competition (Collectively the "Competition Rules")

  • Eligibility: The eligibility requirements for this Competition have varied from the Competition T&Cs to the extent that: This Competition is open to all individuals, including legal residents of the United Arab Emirates and international participants.

Participants are eligible to enter this Competition solely as individuals. Team entries, collaborations, or group submissions are not permitted. Each participant must submit their entry independently, ensuring that all work is their own and not a collective effort.
Participation in this Competition is restricted to individuals who are 18 years of age or older. Participants must provide valid proof of age and identity upon request to verify eligibility and reserve the right to request any additional consent forms at our sole and absolute discretion.
We reserve the right to ask for such documentation at any time during the Competition. Failure to provide satisfactory proof of age or identity may result in disqualification from the Competition.
The following are not eligible to participate in the Competition :

  • Employees, officers, directors, and representatives of DFF;
  • Judges and organizers of this Competition; and
  • Immediate relatives of the foregoing excluded persons.
  • Participation: Each Participant ("You") may participate by choosing one of the Dubai Future Forum ("Forum") themes from the DFF website found here), each a "Theme", and complete the submission form found here for the relevant Theme by clicking on the "Submit Now" link and submitting your short story (your "Story"). Your Story must be in the science fiction genre and linked to a Theme. You may not submit more than one Story.  
  • Winners: The Competition will recognize winners based on their performance, as determined by the judging criteria specified in these Competition Rules.

 The following categories of winners will be awarded:

  • Top 10 Winners: The entries ranked in the top 10 positions will be acknowledged as winners (“Top 10 Winners”)
  • Top 3 Winners: Among the Top 10 Winners, the entries ranked in the top 3 positions will be specially recognized as the top three (3) winners of the Competition, (“Top 3 Winners”)

(The Top 10 Winners and the Top 3 Winners shall be collectively referred to as “Winners”).
The determination of the Winners is final and binding, subject to compliance with the Competition Rules and criteria.

  • Submission Rights: The submission rights for this Competition have varied from the Competition T&Cs to the extent that: By entering this Competition, each participant who is not selected as one of the Winners, hereby grants DFF and each of our affiliates, and any other third parties acting on behalf of any of the foregoing, Competition partners, prize providers and the successors, licensees and assigns of each of the foregoing (collectively, the “Competition Organisers“), a fully paid up, non-exclusive, assignable, sublicensable, worldwide and perpetual license to display publicly and use for promotional purposes your Story, including any exerts thereof. This license includes, but is not limited to, posting or linking to your Story on DFF and/or other third-party websites, applications and platforms  and the display and promotion of your Story in any other media, worldwide.

By entering this Competition, You agree and expressly consent that the following information and submission components ("Your Information") may be displayed and/or announced publicly including (without limitation) in any medium, events, and  platforms such as social media and the official website of DFF in perpetuity:

  • Your first name
  • Your last name
  • Your age
  • Your location
  • Country of residence
  • Description of your Story
  • Story theme
  • Your Story
  • Images/photographs of You taken at the Forum
  • Videos of You taken at the Forum

You represent and warrant that the Competition Organisers are free to use Your Information in the manner described above, as provided or as modified by us, without obtaining permission, notification, or license from any third party and without any compensation to You.
By entering into this Competition, You hereby:

  • Authorize all verifications required by DFF concerning your identity agree and acknowledge that You shall be disqualified from the Competition in the event of the existence of any indication of falsified, fraudulent, false, untruthful, incorrect or inexact identity or address; and
  • Warrant and ensure that your Story will be original works of authorship and their use or possession by DFF will not cause DFF, its affiliates and/or the Competition Organisers to infringe any third-party rights or enable third parties to interfere with the rights and licenses granted to DFF, its affiliates and the Competition Organizers.

In addition to submitting your Story, You will be required to submit the following information as part of your enrolment in the Competition:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Age
  • Email address
  • Country of residence
  • Phone number with country code
  • The chosen Theme for your Story
  • Confirmation as to whether you will be able to travel to Dubai and attend the Forum
  • Statement confirming that the Story submitted is an original work, created without any assistance from AI, other resources and/or any third parties.
  • Intellectual Property Rights
  • Winners of the Competition
  • Grant of License

For the purposes of this Clause 5, "Term" shall mean the period from the date of submission of your Story up until 23:59 (UAE time) on 20 November being the last day of the Forum.
By entering the Competition and upon being selected as Winner, You hereby expressly grant to DFF for the duration of the Term an exclusive, irrevocable, royalty-free, sublicensable and worldwide  license to use your Story to:

  • Promote, publish and distribute your Story in the Forum and elsewhere free of charge in any form whatsoever (to be determined in DFF’s sole discretion); and
  • Publish and display your Story in any medium, including but not limited to the Competition Organizer’s websites, third-party websites, applications, and platforms including, but not limited, for promotional purposes.
  • Restrictions on Winners during the Term

Upon being selected as a Winner, You agree, for the duration for the Term, not to publish your Story on any platform or program, nor enlist it in any other competitions, whether in the United Arab Emirates or elsewhere worldwide. 
In addition to the foregoing, You agree not to publish, display, distribute, or otherwise make your Story available on any platform or program, including personal websites, blogs, or social media, nor enlist it in any other competitions, whether in the United Arab Emirates or worldwide.
Furthermore, You shall not commercialize or exploit your Story in any manner during the Term. This includes, but is not limited to:

  • Selling or otherwise commercialising your Story;
  • Licensing or offering your Story to any third party;
  • Using your Story in any promotional or commercial materials; and
  • Entering into any agreements or arrangements that grant any rights to third parties in relation to your Story in any form.

For the avoidance of any doubt, DFF shall possess all related rights to your Story from the date of submission, ensuring exclusive control over its use and dissemination, until the end of the Term.

  • Grant of License After the Term

Following the expiry of the Term, each Winner agrees and hereby grants to  DFF and the Competition Organisers, a fully paid up, non-exclusive, assignable, sublicensable, worldwide and perpetual license to display publicly, distribute and promote your Story (including any exerts thereof) and Your winning status in the Competition. This license includes, but is not limited to, posting or linking to your Story on DFF and/or other third-party websites, applications and platforms and display and promotion of your Story in any other media, worldwide.
Each of the Winners warrant and ensure that their submissions and each Story will be original works of authorship and their use or possession by DFF will not cause the DFF to infringe any third-party rights which would enable third parties to interfere with the publication, reproduction, adaptation other modification, or use by DFF or their licensees of the submission and Story.
The Winners acknowledge that any breach of these Competition Rules may result in irreparable harm and significant injury to DFF and/or the Competition Organisers.  DFF is entitled, in addition to any other rights and remedies it may have, to seek damage for that loss (including indirect and damage to its reputation) as well as enforce its rights by seeking and obtaining specific performance and/or injunctive relief.
The provisions set out in Clause 5 regarding intellectual property rights, shall survive the termination or expiration of this Competition. This includes, but is not limited to, any licenses granted, restrictions on publication and commercialization, and the rights to promote, publish, and distribute the Stories. These rights shall continue to apply and remain in full force and effect notwithstanding the termination or expiration of the Competition.
All intellectual property related to this Competition, including but not limited to copyrighted material, trademarks, tradenames, logos, designs, promotional materials, web pages, source codes, drawings, illustrations, slogans and representations are owned or used under license by DFF and its affiliates. All rights are reserved and nothing in these Competition Rules grants any participants any right to use any of our intellectual property in any manner whatsoever. Unauthorized copying or use of any copyrighted material or intellectual property without the express written consent of its owners is strictly prohibited.

  • Story Requirements
  • Language: English
  • Font: Times New Roman
  • Font size: 12
  • Spacing: Double-spaced
  • Margins: 1-inch
  • Word count: up to 2,500 words
  • Document format: PDF
  • Competition Timeline:
  • The Competition opens for submissions on 27 June 2024 (00:00 GST).
  • The Competition closes submissions on 30 August 2024 (23:59 GST).
  • The judging period for the Competition will be between 1 September 2024 and 25 October 2024.
  • The Winners of the Competition will be announced on the DFF website on 27 October 2024.
  • The Prize will be distributed to the Winners during the Forum which takes place in the Museum of the Future, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on 19 and 20 November 2024.
  • Submission Guidelines
  • Originality: Each Story must offer a fresh and unique take on the Theme and avoid common sci-fi tropes and clichés. All submitted Stories must not have been previously published and/or submitted to any other competition.
  • Plagiarism: All Stories submitted must be entirely original with no AI generated or plagiarised content. Any submissions found to contain such content will be disqualified (to be determined by DFF acting in its sole discretion).
  • Proofreading and Quality: submissions must be free of grammatical errors, typos and inconsistencies. 
  • Intellectual Property and References: Stories should not contain references to existing intellectual property or real persons, living or dead.
  • Prize: The Top 3 Winners of the Competition will receive the following prizes ("Prizes"):
  • First Prize:
  • Certificate of Achievement 
  • An all-expense trip to attend the Forum in Dubai (*choice of accommodation and class of travel shall be subject to DFF’s sole  and absolute discretion)
  • Opportunity to read the winner’s Story at the Forum;
  • The winning Story will be printed and distributed at the Forum;
  • Eligibility to participate in a mentorship program; and
  • Finalists published on DFF website (sub-site).
  • Second winner: 
  • Certificate of Achievement;
  • An all-expense trip to attend the Forum in Dubai  (*choice of accommodation and class of travel shall be subject to DFF’s sole  and absolute discretion);
  • Finalists published on DFF website (sub-site); and
  • Story to be printed and distributed at the Forum.
  • Third Winner: 
  • Certificate of Achievement;
  • An all-expense trip to attend the Forum in Dubai  (*choice of accommodation and class of travel shall be subject to DFF’s sole  and absolute discretion);
  • Finalists published on DFF website (sub-site); and
  • Story to be printed and distributed at the Forum. 

DFF (including affiliates) shall, except where caused by its gross negligence, have no liability and shall be held harmless by You for any claims, demands, liability, suits, actions, proceedings, judgments, fines, losses, damages, penalties (including, without limitation, attorney’s fees) in relation to personal injury or death or damage to person or property, arising from or related to this Competition, or due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to (i) the acceptance, possession or use of the Prize; or (ii) any physical activity, travel or travel-related activity in relation to the Competition or participation in this Competition.

Should any participant, or Winner be found to be approaching or trying to influence any judge, directly or indirectly, this will result in immediate disqualification from the Competition.
We reserve the right to change the judges in the judging committee in our sole discretion. All decisions made by the judges are final and binding. No correspondence or appeal will be taken into consideration, and no changes to the decisions will be made under any circumstance. 

  • Third Party Collaborators: By participating in this Competition, you consent to us passing Your Information to third parties we collaborate with ("Third Party Collaborators") for the purpose of promoting and running the Competition and securing the Prizes.