Interlaken News

Invitations were sent to UNFF countries through their focal points or other official services as proposed by the Steering Committee and according to the UNFF guidance. The selection process is about to be finalized and official confirmations will be sent to the participants per email and regular mail before the end of February.

THERE IS NO ONLINE REGISTRATION and there are no registration fees – Every country and individual who already expressed his/her interest will be directly informed on the status of his/her participation and on the following procedures. Please give us a resource contact in case of prolonged absence.

As you will see on the revised workshop agenda, major progresses have been made in the selection of international papers and speakers as well as in the preparation of the field trips. The working themes of the Thursday session will be determined and communicated later.

More information will be available on the website after the review process of the proposed papers.

Practical information

Where is Interlaken?

Interlaken (www.interlaken.ch) is situated in the heart of Switzerland, 70 km south-east of the capital Berne. It is a small town embedded by two alpine lakes, the lake of Thun and the lake of Brienz.

End of April is still quite a chilly season and you would need boots and pullover, warm jacket and gloves.

How to get to Interlaken?

From Zürich-Kloten Airport (ZRH):

There are direct trains from the airport to Interlaken-East every hour (at 00:40). Travelling time: 2.41 hours. Outward-and-return ticket in first class: 192.- CHF, in second class 116.- CHF. Outward-and-return ticket is valid one month.

From Geneva-Airport (GVA):

There are trains from the airport to Interlaken-East every hour (at 00:21) with one change in Bern. Travelling time: 3 hours. Outward-and-return ticket in first class 204.- CHF, in second class 123.- CHF. Outward-and-return ticket is valid one month.

From Frankfurt – Germany

There are trains from the airport to Interlaken-East every hour (at 00:53) with at least one change in Basel. Travelling time: 5.28 hours.

Timetable: http://www.sbb.ch/pv/index_e.htm

Visas

A visa is in general necessary to enter Switzerland. Check with your embassy or on the following website http://www.auslaender.ch/einreise/visumvorschriften_e.asp

Requests for a visa should be made to the Swiss consular authorities abroad.

Addresses of the Swiss representations abroad: http://www.eda.admin.ch/repadd/g/home/emb/addch.html

An official invitation can be sent at their demand to the participants (contact: srosse@intercooperation.ch) The participants have to initiate that procedure as soon as possible as the process may take several weeks.

Weather

Temperature varies from 3 (night) to 13 (day) °C (37-55 °F) in April and we may have some cloudy weather during the field trips.

For more general information: http://www.interlakentourism.ch/ and http://www.juliasseiten.ch/

Location of the Workshop

Casino Kursaal, Strandbadstrasse 44, 3800 Interlaken. Tel +41 33 827 61 00. Fax: +41 33 827 61 05

http://www.casino-kursaal.ch

List of hotels in Interlaken

Participants should reserve themselves their lodging in Interlaken with exception of sponsored participants who will receive individual instructions before the 15th February 2004.

Hotel Interlaken ****, Firstclass (5 minutes from congress locality), Höheweg 74, 3800 Interlaken, Tel: +41 (0)33 826 68 68, Fax: 033 826 68 69, interlakenhotel@bluewin.ch, http://www.interlakenhotel.ch/

Villa Europe ***, good middle-class (10 minutes from congress locality), Höheweg, 3800 Interlaken, Tel: +41 (0)33 822 71 41, Fax: 033 822 93 41, info@villaeurope.ch, http://www.villaeurope.ch/

Hotel Savoy ***, middle-class (15 minutes from congress locality), Alpenstrasse 2, 3800 Interlaken, Tel: +41 (0)33 828 16 70, Fax: 033 828 16 71, savoy@tcnet.ch, http://www.hotelsavoy.ch/

Hotel Weisses Kreuz ***, middle-class (10 minutes from congress locality), Am Höheweg, 3800 Interlaken, Tel: +41 (0)33 822 59 51, Fax: 033 823 35 55, mail@weisseskreuz.ch, http://www.weisseskreuz.ch