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Learn more about the
history of the WTO Building.
WTO's address:
Centre William Rappard
Rue de Lausanne 154
CH-1211 Geneva 21
Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 739 5111
FROM GENEVA AIRPORT:
The Geneva International Airport (GVA-Cointrin) is located
approximately 5 km from Geneva Centre. Public transportation is
easily accessible from the airport. Geneva International Airport
offers you a free ticket into town, valid throughout the « Tout
Genève » zone of the Geneva Public Transport system. You can get
the free ticket from the automatic distributor, located in the
baggage claim area, just before going through customs. It is
valid for 80 minutes and is available to arriving passengers
only. Bus 28 takes you directly to the WTO (Jardin Botanique
direction).
By taxi:
Taxis can be found directly outside the arrival hall. One-way
fare to the WTO should be no more than CHF40.
By train and bus: The Best
Way...
Taking the train right from the airport to Geneva's main train
station (Gare Cornavin) takes only 6mins. At the airport, follow
the signs to the train platform. Tickets can be purchased at the
desk located on the level above the platforms or at electronic
booths by the tracks. A one-way second class fare costs CHF3.
> Train schedule can be
found
here
Upon arrival at the train station, take Bus 1 in the direction
of Jardin Botanique, which is also the WTO stop and the end of
the line. This should take approximately 15mins. A ticket valid
for one hour costs CHF3 or 2 € and can be purchased at
electronic dispensers at the bus stop. The WTO Building is
located across the street from the Jardin Botanique stop.
(Please note that your train ticket is valid on the bus within
the hour of purchase).
> Bus
schedule can be found
here
Participation at the Forum is free
of charge. Travel and accommodation costs are to be borne by
participants. Please note that the WTO does not organise visa
arrangements.
UPON ARRIVAL
REGISTRATION: We urge you to
ensure that all staff and panellists involved in your session
are registered. The on-line registration will remain open
until Wednesday, 23 September. Please note that all
participants and accompanying guests must be registered to
ensure that a badge will be available upon their arrival at
WTO headquarters.
BADGES: These can be
collected at any time throughout the Forum. Those planning to
attend the Plenary Opening at 10:00 am on Monday 28 September
are advised to collect their badge early, as strict security
controls will be in place. (On this day, badge collection will
be available from 7:30 am).
SECURITY: According to WTO
security procedures, all participants must have a valid piece
of ID (passport or identity card) in order to collect their
badge. Badges will only be handed over
upon exchange of a valid ID. The badge has to be
carried visibly at all times while on WTO premises.
To avoid delay, we request that staff and speakers arrive at
least one hour before their scheduled session.
ORGANISING YOUR SESSION
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GENERAL INFORMATION: Each
regular session will be held on WTO premises and will be
granted a strictly monitored two hour time slot, high-level
sessions will run for three hours.
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ORGANIZATION OF SESSIONS:
Please recall that it is highly recommended four speakers and
one moderator participate in two hour slot sessions. Each
speaker should prepare a 5 to 8 min. introductory statement,
after which the session should be opened to comments and
questions from the audience. Speakers are encouraged to make
concise and dynamic presentations.
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MEETING ROOMS:
Parallel sessions will be operating throughout the length of
the Public Forum following Registration and the Plenary
Opening on 28 September. Simultaneous interpretation of all
Forum sessions will be provided in the WTO's three official
languages — English, French and Spanish. The general location
and total capacity of each meeting room is outlined below.
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CR |
CR I |
CR II |
W |
D |
E |
Floor |
New Building |
New Building |
New Building |
Ground Floor
Main Building |
3 rd Floor
Main Building |
3 rd Floor
Main Building |
Total Capacity |
714
|
390 |
324 |
256 |
155 |
121 |
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PRESENTATION FACILITIES:
These sessions are designed to function as lively and
interactive discussions and although we will accommodate
PowerPoint presentations, we highly discourage their use.
However, if you consider them absolutely necessary we urge you
to keep the number of slides to a minimun and to project key
points and figures. We can, however, post a more detailed
outline or PowerPoint text on the Forum website in advance of
your session, if received in due time. Please send such
documents as soon as they are available or no later than
Friday 18 September to
[email protected]. These will also help WTO
interpreters prepare for your session.
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THE ROLE OF THE MODERATOR:
Please advise your moderator to structure the session as
follows:
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Introduce the session (5mins) — outline theme, topic and main discussion points.
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Invite each speaker to present
their case (5 to 8mins each). It is essential that speakers
finish within the allotted time.
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Invite questions/comments from the
panellists in response to these statements.
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Open the session to
questions/comments from the audience.
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Offer concluding remarks (5mins) — highlight key points that emerged during discussion. (Do not
summarise the session).
NOTE: All sessions will be stopped
at the end of the two hour time limit.
Good timekeeping is necessary to facilitate a truly
interactive discussion.
Moderators can encourage such
discussion by commenting on the content of the presentations
and posing follow-up questions to the audience. They should
remind speakers from the floor to introduce themselves and to
limit their statements to brief comments or questions. In sum,
it is the moderator's role to make the session as balanced,
lively and interactive as possible.
CONTENT:
We urge organizers of sessions to ensure that each report is
organized in the following manner:
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Title of session
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Author (name of organization or
individual(s))
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Abstract (2-3 paragraphs): Please
provide a short abstract of the session including the main
objective(s) of the session; the relevant questions that
were addressed; and the main conclusions reached.
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Presentations by the panellists:
Brief summary of the main points raised by each panellist.
These could be presented in the form of bullet points.
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Questions and comments by the
audience: A selection of some of the questions/comments
following the presentations.
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Conclusion: Short description of
how the panellists concluded the session.
WORD COUNT:
2,000 — 3,000 words. Due to space limitations, it will
not be possible to accept contributions longer than this.
DEADLINE:
Please send your detailed summary in a word document at
the latest by Friday 23 October 2009
to the following e-mail address:
[email protected]
EDITING:
Your contribution will be edited by a professional editor.
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PERSONAL BELONGINGS: Please
remind audience members not to leave any personal belongings
in the meeting rooms at the end of the day. All rooms will be
locked after closing hours.
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FORUM RECEPTION: All Forum
participants are kindly invited to a reception to be held in
the CR Lobby on Monday 28 September
from 6:15 pm to 8:15 pm.
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PROGRAMME: An updated version
of the Public Forum Programme is
available on the Forum webpage.
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E-FORUM: Please
note that an E-Forum will be set up to discuss the topics that
will be addressed during the Forum in September.
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USEFUL INFORMATION FOR
YOUR STAY |
As the second largest city in
Switzerland, Geneva is home to people from all over the world.
In fact, over 40 per cent of its population is international.
Host to several inter-governmental organizations,
non-governmental organizations and country missions, Geneva is
characterized by holding variety of talks, meetings and
conferences throughout the year. Its picturesque landscape of
the snow-capped Alps and the pristine lake also offers many an
escape from daily routines. Although French is the predominant
language spoken in Geneva, English is widely understood and
most people speak at least one other language.
TRANSPORTATION IN GENEVA
Getting around Geneva and travelling to nearby cities is quite
easy as the city is efficiently serviced by buses,
trolleybuses trams and trains. Buses and trains also offer
regular service to neighbouring countries, France being the
nearest. Public boat transport may also be taken to cities
along the lakeshore, including Nyon, Yvoire, Thonon, Evian and
Lausanne. Tickets are available from electronic dispensers
located at each stop. Please inquire at the main train station
(Gare Cornavin) ticketing kiosk for more details.
While buses and trams are more popular among locals, taxis are
also available for travel within Geneva. Taxi stands are
located at the airport, train station and several other points
throughout the city. You can also call for one at Tel: 022 33
141 33.
If you are staying at a hotel, a youth hostel or a campsite,
the establishment will offer you the “Geneva Transport Card”
that allows you to use public transport in Geneva free of
charge during your stay. Get more information from Genève
Tourisme or the establishment concerned.
NOTE: The WTO Building is conveniently serviced by three major
bus routes. The following stops are located outside the main
gates of the WTO:
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Bus 1: Direction “Rive”
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Useful Stops:
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Bus 11: Direction “Bout-du-Monde”
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Useful Stop:
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Bus 28: Direction “Meyrin-Village”
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Useful Stops:
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Nations: United Nations “flag” gate / Place des Nations ('Broken Chair' monument)
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Appia: Visitor's
Entrance to the United Nations Building; Red Cross Museum
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Geneva International
Airport
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> For more information
on how to get around in Geneva please
click here.
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels in Geneva book quickly, so please make sure to arrange
your accommodation in advance. Websites like
www.expedia.com and
www.orbitz.com may be helpful. For more references, please
check
www.genevashotels.com. Hotels in walking distance to the
WTO include
Hotel Eden and
Hotel Mon Repos. A little farther, but still within close
proximity, is the luxurious
Hotel President Wilson.
RESTAURANT
FACILITIES NEAR THE WTO
A variety of options are available for dining in or around the
WTO:
BUDGET
The HEI cafeteria adjacent to the WTO has many
lunch options at reasonable prices, ranging from CHF10-15. The
Botanical Gardens also offers a nice and friendly self-service
cafeteria in beautiful surroundings. For a quick bite, the WTO
Café (Salle des Pas Perdus) located on the Ground Floor offers
all sorts of beverages, sandwiches and salads in a more
relaxed setting. Across the street from the WTO (next to the
Jardin Botanique stop), there is a small supermarket which is
also a popular destination for those interested in fresh
sandwiches and salads at reasonable prices.
MID-RANGE
If you are looking for sit-down dining, a Chinese buffet is
available at the Tsing Tao Restaurant (12 avenue de Secheron)
around the corner from the small supermarket (the buffet costs
approximately CHF22 and lunch menus CHF15). There is also a
Lebanese restaurant (Layalilna, 121 rue de Lausanne). The
Hotel Eden restaurant (135 rue de Lausanne) offer
Swiss/French/Italian eating. Like most restaurants in Geneva,
a reasonably-priced lunch menu or “Plat du Jour” may be found
there.
TOP-END
Close to the WTO with a scenic view of the lake, restaurant La
Perle du Lac offers exquisite cuisine, if you are
interested in splurging a bit! Be sure to call and reserve a
table, especially if you plan to go as a group.
Address: 126 rue de Lausanne, Tel: +41(0)22 909 10 20, Fax:
+41(0)22 909 10 30.
CURRENCY
The currency in
Switzerland is the Swiss Franc, often written as CHF or SFr.
While the Euro is accepted at most shops and businesses, it is
better to exchange your money in advance so as to avoid paying
a higher rate. Cash is the most popular method of transaction
and locals tend to carry substantial amount on them.
NOTE: Many smaller
stores and supermarkets do not accept credit cards and those
that do may ask to see photo ID.
ATMs are conveniently
dispersed throughout the city. The WTO Building has two UBS
ATMs.
Geneva Tourism:
http://www.geneve-tourisme.ch/
Weather:
http://www.meteoschweiz.admin.ch/web/en/weather.html
Bus Schedule:
http://www.tpg.ch
Train Schedule:
http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisen.htm
Geneva Airport:
www.gva.ch
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