GENERAL INFORMATION

Conference Management Office

All correspondence before the Conference should be addressed to:
Dr. Marija Bešter-Rogač
29th ICSC Conference Secretary
Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology
University of Ljubljana
Aškerčeva 5, POB 537
1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Fax: +386 1 2419 437
Phone: +386 1 2419 410
E-mail: bester@icsc2005.si

Official Language

English will be the official language of the conference. There will be no simultaneous interpretation during the Conference.

Name Badges

Conference Registrants are required to wear their name badge in order to gain entry to the scientific sessions, and the social activities.

Audio - Visual Equipment

All Conference Rooms will be equipped with the following:
•LCD projector
•laptop computer with CD player
•podium microphone
•wireless microphone
•laser pointer
•overhead projector
Please be advised that for oral presentations only the laptop computers provided by the organisers (IBM compatible, MS Windows OS) can be used. If you intend to use any special software in your presentation, please contact us in advance (bester@icsc2005.si). Presenters are kindly asked to have their presentations saved on CD, floppy disk, or memory stick (disk-on-key). Also, it is highly recommended to send (almost) the final version of the presentation in advance to the organisers so that the file can be tested and to solve any possible problem of incompatibility (bester@icsc2005.si).

Health Insurance

Visitors are NOT covered by the Slovene Health Insurance Plan and the medical expenses in Slovenia may be high. It is therefore highly recommended that participants arrange their own health and accident insurance. During their temporary stay in the Republic of Slovenia, insured persons from the EU member states will be able to claim medical services in public health institutions and from private doctors who have concluded a contract with the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia (HIIS) on the basis of the E 111 form with the mark of the country by which the form was issued, and also on the basis of the European health insurance card. In cases of emergency a foreign insured person may also go directly to the emergency service in the nearest hospital. This is the current information available to us. Further information can be obtained from the health authorities with whom the visitor is insured or from their Ministry of Labour. All other foreign nationals are guaranteed emergency medical assistance; however, they must bear the costs of such services by themselves.

Liability

The Conference fees DO NOT include provisions for the insurance of participants against personal injuries, sickness, theft, or property damage. This also applies to any event held during the Conference period. Participants and accompanying persons are advised to arrange for any insurance that they consider necessary. Neither the Conference Organising Committee, nor its sponsors or committee members assume any responsibility for loss, injury, or damage to participants or their belongings, whatever the cause may be.

Passports and Visas

Citizens of most countries with valid passports do not need an advance visa to enter Slovenia, but please check the details with your travel agent or visit the web site of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia (follow the link to ‘useful information’and then ‘visa information’). In other cases visas can be obtained from Slovene consular offices in the respective countries.

IUPAC sponsorships implies that entry visas will be granted to all bona fide chemists provided application is made not less than three months in advance. If a visa is not granted one month before the meeting the applicant should notify the IUPAC Secretariat without delay. Note that Slovenia is a member of the EU.

Public Transit

The Conference venue and the hotels are situated in the Hotel Bernardin resort, which is within walking distance of Piran (15-minute walk) and Portorož (20-minute walk). There are also frequent local buses available.

Transportation from/to the Airport

The nearest airports suitable for travelling to Portorož are:

Venice – Italy (Marco Polo) (200 km)
Transfer between the St. Bernardin resort and all three airports will be organized. The fee will be collected on the bus (minivan or taxi).


Travel Information

Those wishing to plan excursions in Slovenia before or after the Conference can obtain more information from Kompas, the official travel agency of the conference.

Foreign Exchange and Banking

Slovenian currency is the Slovenian Tolar (SIT), but the Euro is generally accepted as a means of payment. Most stores accept credit cards: American Express, Diners, Master Card-Eurocard, and Visa. Travellers’checks can be cashed at banks in Piran or Portorož (closed on Saturday afternoons and Sundays). Money exchange is possible at banks, exchange offices, hotels, most petrol stations, and tourist agencies. There are ATM Bank machines in the area, accessible by Visa and Master cards.

Taxes

If not stated otherwise, VAT (value added tax) is already included in the listed price.

Time zone

Central European time (GMT + 1)

Weather and Clothing

During the month of August the weather is pleasant on the Adriatic Coast with daily temperatures between 18°C and 29°C, (64°F - 84°F) and the temperature of the sea is around 24°C (75°F).

Electrical

The electrical voltage in Slovenia is 220 V and the frequency 50 Hz. Sockets take two round-pin plugs.

Important Telephone Numbers

Police: 113
Emergency first aid: 112
AMZS –Automobile Association of Slovenia: 1987

Visiting Slovenia

The republic of Slovenia lies in the part of Europe where the Alps and Mediterranean meet the Pannonian plain and mysterious Karst. The population of country is two million inhabitants, the official language is Slovene. For more information about Slovenia, its culture, people, and economy see: http://www.uvi.si/eng/slovenia/in-brief/

For tourist information you may also consult the Slovenian Tourist Board:
Slovenska turistična organizacija
Dunajska 156
SI-1000 Ljubljana
Slovenia
Phone: +386 1 589 18 40
Fax: +386 1 589 18 41
E-mail: info@slovenia-tourism.si
http://www.slovenia-tourism.si