INDEX
VISAS
Do I need a visa to travel to Mexico?
Nationals of several countries require a vista to enter Mexico. Please read carefully the information available at:
http://www.ecohealth2008.org/visas.php
Disclaimer: The organizers will not be held responsible for the information regarding visa requirements. Although this information was provided by the Mexican authorities, it may suffer changes without the organizers’ knowledge. The participant is fully responsible for contacting the nearest Embassy/Consulate and obtain the list of visa requirements.
Inmigration National Institution Web Page http://www.inm.gob.mx/
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ACCOMODATION / SERVICES TO FORUM PARTICIPANTS
Where will the IEF 2008 take place?
The IEF 2008 will take place at the Fiesta Americana and Hyatt Regency hotels in the city of Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. These two hotels face each other on the same street in historic downtown Mérida. Hotels Websites:
Will there be transportation for the participants from the airport to the hotels?
The IEF 2008 will not provide transportation services from the airport to the hotels. However, there is a taxi stand inside the airport where you can get a safe cab to your hotel. The cost of this service ranges between $18 and $20 US Dollars. Please note, that the cost of taxis from the hotels to the airport is lower, approximately US$ 7-8. The trip to the Forum venue (Fiesta Americana and Hyatt Regency hotels) normally takes around 30 minutes.
Are the taxis from the airport safe?
Yes, the authorized airport taxis are very safe. The cost of this service ranges between $18 and $20 US Dollars to the Forum venue (Fiesta Americana and Hyatt Regency hotels). Please note, that the cost of taxis from the hotels to the airport is lower, approximately US$ 7-8.
Is there a place where I can exchange currency near the event venue?
There are 2 currency exchanges very close to both the Fiesta Americana Hotel and the Hyatt Regency Hotel. Additionally, because the Fiesta Americana is located in a commercial plaza, participants will find many other businesses such as rental car services, handicrafts and souvenir stores and a pharmacy nearby.
Are there banks close to the event venue?
There are ATMs at both hotels. In addition, on Paseo Montejo (the avenue where the hotels are located), there are branches of the main banks that operate in Mexico (Banamex, Banorte, HSBC, Scotiabank Inverlat).
Is there a place I can use the Internet?
There will be 10 complimentary computers with internet connection, 5 in each hotel available for Forum participants. These computers may be used free of charge with a time limit. Also, each hotel has WIFI at an extra cost.
What is the weather like in Merida in December?
In general, weather in Mérida is warm. The temperature for December averages between 20°C-24°C (68°F-75°F).
Are there public telephones for international calls near the IEF 2008 venue?
There are 3 public phone booths in the lobby of the Hyatt and Fiesta Americana hotels.
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DISSEMINATION AND COMMUNICATION MEANS
Do journalists pay to attend the Forum? What are the accreditation requirements for journalist to cover the event?
Access to IEF 2008 will be free of charge for accredited journalists. For accreditation requirements, please follow the instructions posted on the IEF website or contact media@ecohealth2008.org
I am a journalist and I cannot support my travel expenses to cover the event. Can IEF 2008 support my attendance?
The World Federation of Science Journalists (WFSJ), along with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, is organizing an International Competition of Journalists. Journalists from around the world interested in covering the forthcoming IEF 2008 can apply for travel grants. For more information: http://www.wfsj.org/news/news.php?id=110 Deadline to submit an application for the competition: September 2, 2008
What services can I expect as an accredited journalist?
Journalists who arrive with the necessary accreditation to cover the event will have access to: a press room equipped with computers with Internet access, printer, fax and telephone line. They will also have access to the main sessions of the event and the press conferences to be organized with experts in the field of ecohealth.
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SCHOLARSHIPS
Is funding available to attend the conference?
A limited number of full scholarships and partial travel assistance will be awarded to successful applicants who applied before the July 15th deadline.
How many scholarships will be offered?
Twenty (20) full scholarships will be awarded to recipients from around the world.
How do I apply for a scholarship, and what kind of funding will I receive?
The deadline for scholarship submissions was July 15, 2008. Unfortunately, no further applications will be accepted. If you did apply and are awarded a full scholarship you will have your airfare, accommodation, meals and registration to IEF 2008 covered by your scholarship.
Who decides who is awarded a scholarship?
A sub-committee of the Scientific Program Committee will be reviewing the scholarship applications.
May I submit an abstract to the conference?
The deadline for submitting abstracts to the IEF 2008 was July 15th. Over 800 submissions were received. No further submissions will be accepted.
Who selects the abstracts and decides how they will be presented?
A team of peer reviewers working in the area of Ecohealth has been working hard to ensure that each individual abstract is carefully reviewed. It is very exciting that over 50 submissions for symposia (proposals that grouped several individual abstracts together to form a 2 hour parallel session) were also received and peer-reviewed. The Scientific Program Committee will use the accepted individual and symposia abstracts to build the Forum program which be available at
http://www.ecohealth2008.org/abstracts_principal.php
What is the official language of IEF 2008?
The Forum's preferred language is English in recognition that this is the most widely used language in science. Simultaneous translation (English, Spanish, French) will be offered for the plenary sessions. The working language of the majority of the parallel sessions will be English. Depending on the abstracts received and if there is a need expressed, some parallel sessions could be unilingual Spanish, Portuguese or French, and a limited number could have simultaneous translation English/Spanish/French.
Can I make my presentation in Spanish, Portuguese or French?
The plenary sessions and a limited number of parallel sessions will offer simultaneous translation (English-Spanish-French). Poster presentations can be made in the language of your choice (English, Spanish, French, Portuguese).
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PRE/POST FORUM WORKSHOPS
What is a Workshop?
A workshop is a meeting organized and paid for by an individual or an organization attending the Forum around the IEF 2008 themes. These workshops can be either open to the public or by invitation only. Each workshop can last between 3 and 8 hours. The specific format of each workshop will be determined by its proponents.
For more information visit http://www.ecohealth2008.org/workshops.php
Who pays for the costs of the workshop?
The organizations who propose a workshop are also responsible for the costs of the workshop (catering, equipment rental, translation, etc.)
How do I apply to host a workshop? The deadline for the submission of workshops for the program was July 30th. If you would like to explore the possibility of organizing a workshop in the days leading up to or after the Forum please contact David Hernandez at workshops@ecohealth2008.org.
Is there exhibition space available at the Forum?
Yes, there will be an exhibition area with 10 booths, all of which have already been assigned.
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CONFERENCE PROGRAM
When will the full conference program be made available online?
The conference full program will be posted online before September 30th.
Will there be cultural/recreational activities at the Forum?
There will be mariachi playing at the welcome cocktail. Also, a group of folkloric ballet dance group will perform during the Gala Dinner, followed by live music for participants to dance and celebrate.
Are the conference papers going to be published?
Presentations and other documents will be posted on the IEF 2008 website. The website will be live until December 2009.
There is no guarantee that any of the papers will be published in peer-reviewed journals. Co-Editors and the Editor-in-Chief of the journal EcoHealth will be present at the Forum and will be happy to receive abstracts and to encourage people to submit their papers for the EcoHealth journal peer-review process.
How can I obtain the IEF 2008 scientific papers?
Unlimited access to the IEF 2008 Webpage will be maintained until December 2009. Scientific presentations and other papers will be available in the IEF 2008 Webpage until this date.
Who are the International Ecohealth Forum organizers and partnering institutions?
The IEF 2008 organizers and partnering institutions are the Mexican National Institute of Public Health (host of the Forum), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada, the International Association for Ecology and Health (IAEH), the Institute for Ecological Research (Brazil), the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), the University of Sao Paolo's Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechny (FMVC-USP) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO).
For more information please visit http://www.ecohealth2008.org/about_organizing.php
How can I get the best out of the conference?
Plan carefully the sessions you want to attend. Be prepared to contribute to sessions during the question and answer periods. Use the social events and other networking opportunities to meet people and exchange experiences. Bring business cards with you and be ready to exchange them with people you meet.
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Last updated: September 2, 2008 |
