15th
Annual International Conference
on Conflict Resolution
Dates:
May 5-13, 2007 Site:
St. Petersburg, Russia
( Formal Conference Program: May 6-11 )
Site
and Trip Information
SITE
The ICR Conference
is held just outside St. Petersburg at a Russian
resort hotel located directly on the Finnish gulf. The
hotel is a converted palace built during the time of the Tzars and
offers elegant architecture surrounded by a large, beautiful park
with many paths, ponds, and a view of the sea.
The conference opens as spring
in this region begins. The natural, wooded setting is very conducive
to long strolls and gatherings, and helps create an atmosphere that
invites dynamic interchange, quiet contemplation, and the formation
of community. In addition to planned events in the main building each
evening, both scheduled and spontaneous gatherings and meetings occur
inside and outside where there are park benches clustered about the
grounds.
The Petrodvoretz Palace (museum)
is a 30-40 minute walk or less than a 5 minute taxi ride. All hotel
rooms are either double or single, with private baths and TV.
Some are also equipped with refrigerators. Regular conference
registration fees are for shared double rooms. *Single rooms are additional
cost (see our registration
form). Some services available on site to hire separately
are sauna, massage, and a fitness room. There is a restaurant (where
conference meals will be taken) and a cafe/bar. The cafe/bar is open
from late morning to late evening. Meeting rooms, sleeping rooms,
and restaurant are designated as nonsmoking. Three meal plans offered
include vegetarian, white meat (fish and poultry), and red meat.
The official conference languages
are English and Russian. Interpreters are assigned to each presentation
and event, and are available in the general milieu. Interpreters and
guides are also provided for the post-conference program.
All site management and support
services are provided by our on-site conference staff.
TRAVEL
Assistance in arranging for economical travel to the
conference is offered by the official conference
Travel Agency:
Westwind Travel
Our agent at Westwind is: Terry Williams-Keffer
343 W Manhattan, Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
Tel: 505-984-0022
terry@westwindtravel.net
* For
those wishing to hire Ground Transportation
from the St. Petersburg airport to the conference site:
As an alternative to public taxi, arrangements to hire private drivers
who can meet you on arrival, assist with luggage, and transport you
to the conference hotel site are available as a courtesy directly
through HARMONY Institute in St. Petersburg. Contact CBI for further
details.
Extended stays
in St. Petersburg are available at additional
cost by advance arrangement through Common Bond Institute.
A comprehensive Orientation
Packet providing a wealth of information and tips on preparing
for the trip, traveling to and staying in Russia, communication logistics,
and important step-by-step guidance on applying for your official
Letter of Invitation and Russian visa, is sent to each participant
at registration.
VISA
and LETTER OF INVITATION
To begin with, it is vital that
you have a current, valid passport that expires
no earlier than 6 months before the conference dates to apply for
a Russian visa.
Assistance is available to offer guidance on applying for both the
Letter of Invitation and the Visa, including our Conference Orientation
Packet. In addition, we strongly recommend using a visa service
for quickly and reliably handling all visa logistics for you.
For those in the US: In the event you do not have a visa service you
have used in the past, a highly reliable professional service we have
extensive experience with is:
Travel
Documents Service (TDS)
Washington DC Office:
Agent:
Sharne' Chapple (ext.15)
925 15th Street,
NW - 3rd Floor Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 800-424-8472,
Fax: 202-638-4674
E-mail: sharne@traveldocs.com or
info@traveldocs.com
San Francisco
Office:
Agent:
Maureen McCulloch
Phone:
888-874-5100 or 415-399-1515
E-mail: maureen@traveldocs.com
-or- info@traveldocs.com
Web:
http://www.traveldocs.com
* If you
use TDS, please be sure to specifically speak with Sharne and indicate
you are with the Common Bond Institute Group for correct processing.
Please also let Sharne' know if you are leaving the US "before"
May 4th.
Participants from outside
the US should consult a Russian embassy or a visa service in their
area to determine the correct process for the actual visa application.
Official
Letter of Invitation for RUSSIAN VISA:
The required visa for this conference is a
Russian "Business" visa. An official "Letter
of Invitation" is also required for all visa applications
(i.e. you can not apply for a Russian visa unless this letter is included
with your visa application). These letters can only be issued through
the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) in St. Petersburg, Russia,
and processing time is currently up 35 days. The current Ministry
fee for this letter is: $ 45. Expedited Letters of Invitation
issued in less than 35 days are also available at
a higher expedited fee of $ 80.
*
This Ministry fee must be paid in advance at the time of submitting
a formal request. Once
all information itemized on the Conference Registration form - and
the applicable MFA fee - are received by CBI,
a request for a letter can then be submitted to the MFA by HARMONY
Institute in St. Petersburg. When the letter is issued it will be
sent to you by Email or fax.
*
If an original copy of the letter is required
by the local Russian embassy or consulate in your country, this must
be sent by DHL express mail to
ensure timely delivery (there is an
additional DHL mailing charge for this). Assistance
is available to offer guidance on applying for the invitation letter
and visa, and our Conference Orientation Packet provides detailed
instructions.
1) The
critical information needed for a Letter of Invitation is listed
in the "Visa Information" section of
the conference Registration Form, which should be completed
fully and sent directly to Common Bond Institute
(CBI) by e-mail (E-mail is strongly preferred to ensure accuracy
of all text to avoid errors on letter of invitation applications.
However if this is not possible, then registrationd can be submitted
by fax or mail).
2) In addition, the photo page and signature
page of your passport should be sent directly to
HARMONY Institute in Russia. For accuracy and speed,
the preferred method is by scanning your passport page into a computer
and sending it by Email
to: group@inharmony.spb.ru
If this is not possible,
an alternative is to send your passport copy to HARMONY by Fax
at: 7-812-373-1330.
HARMONY's telephone number is: 7-812-371-8220. In either case, please
confirm receipt of your passport photo page by HARMONY Institute.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Due to Russian national holidays occurring each May,
all Russian government offices will be closed for several
of the days during the two weeks just prior to the conference.
As a result, it is important to obtain your letter of invitation and
submit your visa application in enough advance time to ensure processing
and receiving your visa by the conference date.
* REMINDER:
The above "Letter of Invitation" must be
processed and received before you can apply for a Russian visa!
Detailed
ICR Conference Information:
Help
contribute to bringing peacemakers together
Cost information
Registration
Form
Presenter
Proposal Form
Previous
Year's Program Sample
Photogallery
List of 2005
Conference Presenters
Information on advertising in the
On-Site Program
