INFORMATION NOTE July 2017 Conference 20 July 2017 Ministerial Roundtable. Port Louis, Mauritius

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1 Ministry of Arts and Culture Republic of Mauritius INFORMATION NOTE REGIONAL CONFERENCE AND MINISTERIAL ROUNDTABLE ON THE PROTECTION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE IN EASTERN AFRICA AND THE ADJACENT INDIAN OCEAN ISLANDS July 2017 Conference 20 July 2017 Ministerial Roundtable Port Louis, Mauritius

2 MEETING VENUES The conference will be held at two different venues. The Opening Ceremony on 18 July and the Ministerial Roundtable on 20 July will be held at the Hotel InterContinental Mauritius Resort Balaclava Fort. The conference on 18 July (after opening ceremony) and on 19 July will be held at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel. Venue 1: Hotel InterContinental Mauritius Address: Balaclava Fort, Coastal Road, Ville Valio: Balaclava, Mauritius Telephone: Web site: Venue 2: Voila Bagatelle Hotel Address: Mall of Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius Telephone: / E mail: hello@voilahotel.mu Web site: REGISTRATION: Registration will take place in front of the meeting room at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel on Monday 17 July from 4pm to 6pm and on 18 July 2017 from 11:00 am to 1:00pm at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel. Participants are encouraged to register early on 17 July Please contact Mr. Walter Matoke, w.matoke@unesco.org for any questions regarding registration. MEETING PROGRAMME & DOCUMENTATION The meeting will begin at 8:30am sharp on July 2017 and will end at 5:00 pm daily except for Wednesday 19 July when there will be a reception generously organized by the Ministry of Arts and Culture. On Monday 18 July, participants should be ready to depart from Voila Bagatelle Hotel at 7:30am. A draft agenda will be provided to all participants prior to the meeting. The final agenda as well as relevant documentation will be made available at the meeting. A dedicated web page contains all updated meeting documentation. A folder with meeting documents will be provided to all participants. A USB key with background information, resources and all meeting documents will be provided to all participants on 20 July Please note that the Ministry of Arts and Culture will be filming the conference and roundtable, and images and excerpts from the meeting will be made available to media and on the Ministry and UNESCO s web sites. In addition, a photographer will be taking photos on 18 and 20 July, which will be included in the final report. WORKING LANGUAGE The working language of the regional meeting will be English and French. Interpretation will be provided from English into French; and from French into English. Break out sessions on the afternoon of 18 and 19 July 2017 will not have formal interpretation, but bilingual facilitators will be available to ensure smooth communications among all participants. 2

3 TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS /AIRPORT TRANSFERS Individuals whose travel is funded by UNESCO will have received their return air e tickets prior to travel. Should those individuals wish to modify their flight schedule/itinerary, upgrade their booking from economy to business class, or extend the duration of their stay in Mauritius, additional costs involved shall be borne by the participant. Flights will arrive at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. Ground transportation between the airport and hotel are kindly being arranged by the Ministry of Arts and Culture and the Mauritius National Commission for UNESCO. There will be a welcome desk at the airport for all delegates and transport will be provided by the police for participating Ministers. The drive between the airport and the hotel is approximately 35 minutes. INTERNET CONNECTION Free Wi Fi connection is provided at the meeting venue. The log in information will be provided upon arrival. TRAVEL RISKS AND INSURANCE Coverage is provided to participants for whom UNESCO pays the travel cost, under UNESCO insurance 1 for service incurred accidents, illness and death, with the terms of and provisions of UNESCO s policy. Any other additional and/or private insurance purchase will not be borne by the Organization. VISA AND ENTRY REQUIREMENTS The Ministry of Arts and Culture will have a welcome desk available at the airport arrival to assist participants with their visa entry process and transportation. Individual letters for visa upon arrival are only necessary for participants from Somalia and South Sudan and will be provided to all participants prior to departure for Mauritius. Citizens of most countries do not need a visa or may obtain a visa on arrival to Mauritius Click here for further information. The Ministry of Arts and Culture has already requested the Passport and Immigration Office to facilitate participants entry and exit at the Airport. The Airports of Mauritius is also informed about the Conference and a list of delegates has been provided to them. There will be a welcome/information desk available to assist you upon arrival at the airport. We recommend that you also bring the letter of invitation you received for the meeting. 1 General Insurance Provisions: The Organization has a commercial insurance policy, which provides limited accident and illness coverage for participants in meeting for whom UNESCO pays at least 50% of the total of travel and daily subsistence allowance cost. The policy does not cover the loss or damage of personal effects and excludes treatment for any pre existing conditions and/or routine treatments. Considering that medical costs vary from country to country this coverage may not be sufficient to fully cover unforeseen medical expenses. If you do not have insurance that covers you outside your country, we strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance. 3

4 ACCOMODATION Participants whose accommodation is covered by UNESCO will stay at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel. Rooms have been reserved in advance according to travel schedules. Any additional nights will need to be arranged and paid for directly by participants. MEALS Accommodation and breakfast are included in the hotel reservation for those participants staying at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel. Lunches, coffee/tea breaks will be included in the conference package organized by UNESCO for all participants from 18 to 20 July Participants with dietary requirements are requested to inform the Conference Organizer s by 3 July Per diem will be provided for participants UNESCO is sponsoring to cover dinner expenses from 17 to 20 July 2017 (excluding dinner on 19 July, which is being provided by the Ministry of Arts and Culture). The focal point for per diems is Mr. Walter Matoke (w.matoke@unesco.org) who is in charge of registration. All other meals will be at the expenses of each participant unless previously agreed to by UNESCO due to flight schedule limitations. Important note: Any snacks or drinks consumed from the hotel bar or from the hotel room will be at the expense of each participant and will not be covered by UNESCO. HEALTH REQUIREMENTS There is no risk of yellow fever in Mauritius. The government of Mauritius requires proof of yellow fever vaccination only if you are arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever. For more information on recommendations and requirements, see yellow fever recommendations and requirements for Mauritius. Your doctor can help you decide if this vaccine is right for you based on your travel plans. There are no malarial mosquitoes in Mauritius. More information on the health country profile, please click here. MEDICAL EMERGENCIES Participants are advised to bring their regular prescribed medication for health care during the meeting. Medical Services: Free public medical facilities are widely available at hospitals and regional health centres. Private clinics provide payable medical services. View all medical institutions in Mauritius. In case of emergency, the hotel will call an ambulance, which will take the patient to the nearest hospital of his/her choice: Dr AG Jeetoo Hospital (Civil hospital), Volcy Pougnet Street in Port Louis (15 minutes drive) The Wellkin Hospital (private hospital) in Moka (5 minutes drive). 4

5 VISITOR INFORMATION About Mauritius: Mauritius is an Indian Ocean island state, explored by the Portuguese in 1505 and subsequently settled by the Dutch, French, and British. Since independence in 1968, Mauritius has developed from a low income, agriculturally based economy to a middle income diversified economy with growing industrial, financial, and tourist sectors. Historical information can be found here. Today, Mauritius is known for its beaches, lagoons and coral reefs. The mountainous interior includes Black River Gorges National Park, with rainforests, waterfalls, hiking trails and wildlife like the flying fox. The Capital Port Louis has historical and cultural sites such as the Champs de Mars horse track, Eureka plantation house and 18th century Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens. More tourism information can be found on the following web site: mauritius.mu/ Language: English is the official language of Mauritius. French is extensively used and Creole is widely spoken. Asian languages also form part of the linguistic mosaic. Weather: Mauritius enjoys a mild tropical maritime climate throughout the year. The country has two seasons: a warm humid summer extending from November to April and a relatively cool dry winter from June to September. July is considered the coolest month of the year with average temperature of around C. For more information on the weather, please click here. Currency: The Mauritian Rupee is the currency of Mauritius. The code for the Mauritius Rupee is MUR. The symbol for the Mauritius Rupee is. The Rupee is divided into 100 cents. For 2017, one Dollar has equaled an average of: The commercial exchange rate is subject to change on a daily basis. There are banks and licensed currency exchange bureau located at the airport and in the City. You may exchange from the hotel cashier as well. For current exchange rate, please click here. Electricity: In Mauritius the power sockets are of type C and G. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. Your need for a power plug adapter depends on the power plugs used in your own country. You are advised to bring a universal adapter/converter as necessary. Below are images of the applied power sockets and corresponding plugs: Type C: This socket also works with plug E and F Type G: This socket has no alternative plugs Source: plugs sockets.com/mauritius/ 5

6 Money and Banking: Banks are open to coincide with the arrival and departure of international flights at the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport. Banking Hours: Monday to Thursday: 9.00am 3.00pm; Friday: 9.00am 5.00pm; Closed on Saturday, Sunday and public holidays Credit Cards: Banks and most hotels, restaurants and tourist shops accept credit cards. Shopping: Shopping hours in Mauritius main cities run from 9.30am to 7.30pm (Monday to Saturday). Some shops open until noon on Sundays and public holidays. Many duty free shops and modern shopping centres offer a wide choice of products. View all Shopping Malls in Mauritius Driving: In Mauritius, driving is undertaken on the left hand side of the road and drivers have to give way to traffic from the right. Visitors with a driving license issued by a competent authority in their respective countries are allowed to drive during their stay in Mauritius. Tipping: Tipping is common but not compulsory. CONTACTS UNESCO focal points for this meeting: Ms. Karalyn Monteil (for information and communication related to the meeting) E mail: k.monteil@unesco.org Tel: +254 (02) (office) or +254 (07) (mobile) Mr. Walter Matoke (for air tickets and per diem covered by UNESCO) E mail: w.matoke@unesco.org Tel: +254 (02) Emergency contacts in Mauritius: United Nations Development Programme Mr. Keswar Leelah, Operations Manager and Country Security Focal Point E mail: Keswar.leelah@undp.org Tel: /27 Cell: Mauritius National Commission for UNESCO Ms. Preeya Beeharry E mail: unescodesk@govmu.org Tel: or (mobile) 6

7 MAPS Map source: Google Conference Venue and Hotel: Delegates whose accommodation is covered by UNESCO will be hosted at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel, which is located about 38 km from the Airport. The conference on 18 and 19 July will take place at the Voila Bagatelle Hotel. Address : Mall of Mauritius, Moka, Mauritius Telephone: /

8 Map source: Google The opening ceremony on 18 July and the Ministerial Roundtable on 20 July will be held at the Hotel Intercontinental. Transportation between the Voila Bagatelle Hotel and the Hotel Intercontinental will be provided by the Ministry of Arts and Culture. Hotel InterContinental Mauritius Address : Balaclava Fort, Coastal Road, Ville Valio: Balaclava, Mauritius Telephone: