Essential Information to know before attending the Conference

Dear Participant/Speaker,

This aim of this e-mail is to provide you with all the essential information that you will need concerning your arrival in Montréal in July to participate in the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights.

When you arrive in Montréal
When you arrive in Montréal ( from 24 July onwards), we suggest that you first go to the Palais des congrès de Montréal. There, you will be able to get your Conference accreditation (see below for more info), as well as the participant’s information kit, which includes important information about the city of Montréal, some maps and a copy of the Official Conference Programme (see below for more info).

The main reason to obtain your accreditation before 26 July is that you will avoid the long line-ups and traffic of the Palais des congrès that will undoubtedly occur on the first day of the Conference. Don’t forget: the 1st World Outgames are expecting a total of 16,000 people and all of these people must get their accreditation at the Palais des congrès de Montréal!

If you arrive by plane:
The Montréal-Pierre-Elliott-Trudeau International Airport is located in the Montréal suburb of Dorval. Therefore, you will need to get downtown by your own means. We suggest you take the airport shuttle, L’Aérobus, that will bring you straight from the airport to downtown Montréal, where the Palais des congrès de Montréal is located and where you will be staying, either at the hotel or with your host family. The shuttle will drop you off at the Montréal Central Bus Station (505, de Maisonneuve Est) which is served by the Berri-UQAM métro station, and the following hotels: Château Champlain, Reine Elizabeth and Sheraton. The price of the shuttle for a round-trip is $22.75 CAD.

Timetable for the Aérobus shuttle.

You could also take a taxi, which, depending on the traffic, will cost you anywhere starting from $35 CAD.

If you arrive by bus:
The Montréal Central Bus Station is located in downtown Montréal at 505, de Maisonneuve Est. It is served by the Berri-UQAM metro station. Therefore, you will only need to find your way, either to your hotel, your host family or to the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

If you arrive by train:
The Montréal Train Station is located at 895, de la Gauchetière Ouest in downtown Montréal. It is served by the Bonaventure and the McGill métro stations. Therefore, you will only need to find your way, either to your hotel, your host family or to the Palais des congrès de Montréal.

If you arrive by car:
For more information on how to get to Montréal by car, please consult the Transports Québec web site and select “Montréal region” in the menu. You will then be able to zoom in to search for the different roads serving Montreal.

About Accreditation
Accreditation will take place on the second floor of the Palais des congrès de Montréal, at Hall Viger, from 24-29 July, from 8:00 to 20:00. The Palais takes up the entire block surrounded by Viger Avenue (North), Saint-Antoine Street (South), Saint-Urbain Street (East) and Place Jean-Paul-Riopelle, an extension of De Bleury Street (West). It is served by the Place d’Armes métro station. To find out about the different entrances to the building, please consult the “How to find us” section of the Palais des congrès de Montréal’s website. If you are arriving by métro, just follow the indications for the Palais and you will automatically reach the Hall Viger.

*Your accreditation card will allow you to use the Montréal public transit (metro and buses) for free during the entire period of the Outgames, from 26 July to 5 August.

What to bring with you for accreditation...
International visitors (except the United States):
1. Your passport
2. Your visa (if applicable)
3. A copy of your receipt (ideally) and/or your registration/confirmation number from the Conference (ID)

Canadians and Americans
1. Your passport (or an official identity card such as driving license or Medicare)
2. A copy of your receipt (ideally) and/or your registration/confirmation number from the Conference (ID)

The Official Programme and the Conference
The Official Conference Programme will be printed soon. Therefore, you should be able to consult its online version at the beginning of July. This way, even if you don’t have a copy in your hands, it will give you the possibility to evaluate the content of all the available workshops and to start making choices about the ones in which you would like to participate. Please note that the programme is subject to change without notice.

Please also note that the workshop sessions will work on a “First come, first served” basis. We won’t ask you to fill any form whatsoever concerning your workshop preferences.

Consequently, you should have a “back-up plan” for each of the five workshop sessions, preferably a list of 2-3 choices. This way, you won’t be stuck not knowing which workshop to attend in case one of them is full. We also suggest you to arrive about 5-10 minutes prior to the beginning of the workshop.

Opening and Closing Ceremonies of the
1st World Outgames
The Opening Ceremony will take place at the Olympic Stadium (Viau métro station) on Saturday 29 July at 19:00.

Your Conference pass gives you the opportunity to participate in the procession of the Opening Ceremony inside the Olympic Stadium for free. You will then be seating in the « floor section» and you will have the best spot to watch the show: at the center of it!

Each participant/speaker can bring a companion. To do so, your companion needs to buy the companion package, which can be done by clicking here. For $250 CAD, your companion may accompany you at the Official Opening Reception and Dinner, at the Closing Lunch, and at the Opening Ceremony of the 1st World Outgames in the Olympic Stadium. The companions will participate in the procession and will also be sitting in the floor section during the Opening ceremony

Please note that this ticket was specially conceived for the Conference companions and that it will not allow access to a reserved seat at the Opening Ceremony. Also, if you have more than one companion, these people will need to buy individual tickets at regular price. Finally, if you and your companion will like to participate in the Closing Ceremony, you must purchase regular tickets because neither the Conference registration fee nor the companion package include Closing Ceremony tickets.

The Closing Ceremony will take place at the Olympic Stadium (Pie IX métro station), Saturday, 5 August at 16:00. For further information, consult the 1st World Outgames website by clicking here.

What your pass for the International Conference on LGBT Human Rights includes*:

• Attendance at 5 plenary sessions (2 plenary sessions/ day)
• Attendance at 5 workshops sessions (2 workshops/day) out of 200 workshops (40 workshops simultaneously!)
• Lunches and coffee breaks
• Opening Reception and Official Opening Dinner (Wednesday, 26 July)
• Official Closing Lunch (Saturday, 29 July)
• Official Conference Programme and literature
• Attendance at the Opening Ceremony of the 1st World Outgames (Saturday, 29 July)
• Participant Information Kit which includes: city and transit maps, souvenir poster as well as Montréal and Québec tourist information brochures
• Metro/bus pass valid from 26 July to 5 August
• Discount of $100 CAD for registration in first Sport or Cultural activity in the 1st World Outgames Montréal 2006
• 20% discount for the games' souvenir book

*Subject to change without notice

General Travel Advice

• If this applies to you, don’t forget to make photocopies of passport, visa, plane tickets and/or traveler’s checks, which you will keep separately from your original documents. This is very important in case that you lose these documents. You could also leave copies with someone you trust, back in your country.
• Write down the customer service phone number of your credit card company, in case it gets misplaced.
• If you are staying at a hotel: inquire about the check-in time, which is usually late-afternoon. If your plane is scheduled to arrive prior to this time, you might be able to leave your luggage at the reception of the hotel or in a baggage locker.
• If you staying with a host family: make arrangements with your family concerning the meeting time and place. Keep their address and phone number handy, just in case.