ILO Preparatory Regional Meeting of Labour Statisticians for the 19 th ICLS Beirut, Lebanon, 18 to 20 June 2012 GENERAL INFORMATION

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1 ILO Preparatory Regional Meeting of Labour Statisticians for the 19 th ICLS Beirut, Lebanon, 18 to 20 June 2012 MEETING VENUE GENERAL INFORMATION The ILO Regional Meeting of Labour Statisticians (in preparation for the 19th ICLS) will be held from 18 to 20 June 2012, in the UN House in Beirut, located in Riad el-solh Square , Lebanon, Beirut. REGISTRATION OF PARTICIPANTS Registration of participants will begin on Monday, 18 June, at 08h30, in the MZ Hall, UN House. ESCWA will be responsible for issuing necessary ground passes/identity badges for all participants and delegates will be requested to wear those badges at all times. In this regard, delegates are kindly requested to provide passport type photos (high resolution), no later than two weeks prior to the opening of the meeting. Photographs should be sent to Ms. Zeina Sinno at: INAUGURAL SESSION The opening session will start at 09h00. LANGUAGES AND DOCUMENTATION All the documents for the meeting will be available in English only. However, interpretation from/to English and Arabic will be provided. The report for discussion will be sent to all participants two weeks prior to the meeting. Please note that no hard copies will be available on your arrival so we kindly ask you to bring your own copy.

2 VISA REQUIREMENTS All visitors and delegates travelling to Lebanon should contact the Consulate of Lebanon to check if they require an entry visa ( It is the participant s full responsibility to contact the Embassy of Lebanon without delay regarding the issuing of a visa except for the Palestine delegation; ESCWA will facilitate visa application for the participant as there is no Lebanese embassy there. The ILO cannot bear any costs incurred in the processing of a visa. REGISTRATION FORM To confirm participation and avoid unnecessary delays on the opening day, we ask you to kindly complete the attached registration form and return it to: Ms. Michelle de Chaumont, copy Ms. Maria Ibarz, either by or fax: dechaumont@ilo.org and ibarz@ilo.org or to fax no , no later than 25 May We will contact you upon receipt of your registration form. IMPORTANT INFORMATION Participants that might need support to finance their participation at the meeting, should clearly indicate it in the registration form and send it, duly completed, to Ms. de Chaumont (dechaumont@ilo.org ) copy Ms. Ibarz (ibarz@ilo.org ), or by fax , no later than Friday, 25 May HOTEL RESERVATIONS ESCWA s Conference Services Unit has reserved a limited number of rooms with special rates for ESCWA at the hotels indicated in the list enclosed to this note. To obtain special rates given to ESCWA, kindly provide your hotel selection to Ms. Zeina Sinno at sinnoz@un.org no later than 30 May 2012 It is therefore required that you provide details with regard to: flight and date of arrival and departure to/from the country, as well as credit card type and number in order to guarantee the reservation. For this purpose please use the attached form which contains all the required information.

3 PAYMENT OF HOTEL ACCOUNTS Prior to departure from Beirut, participants are expected to directly settle their respective hotel all accounts, including room charges and other expenses, such as for local and long-distance telephone calls, Internet use, business center use, laundry, room and hotel transportation services, mini-bar items, as well as restaurant and bar services. Participants are also responsible for any charges incurred with respect to rooms remaining vacant owing to late arrival or rescheduled departure for which inadequate prior notice is given. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For substantive information please contact Ms. Elisa Benes, from the ILO Department of Statistics and Mr. Ismail Lubbad from the Statistics Division of ESCWA PRACTICAL INFORMATION Transportation from and to the airport Public and private transportation are available at the airport. Facilities and services at ESCWA The United Nations House in Beirut, ESCWA s permanent headquarters, is located in Riad El-Solh Square in Beirut Central District. Travel services Travel assistance is available through the ESCWA Travel Unit located on the first floor of the United Nations House and open during office hours from 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (room F-127, ext or 1187). Cafeteria The cafeteria, located at the ground floor of the United Nations House, provides a wide range of meals, snacks, desserts and beverages at reasonable prices. It is open from 8 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Library A large library occupies much of the second floor and is open from 7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m., from Monday to Friday for internal users, and from a.m. to 2.30 p.m. from Monday to Friday for external users. Participants will have access (on the premises only) to publications, journals and newspapers, the Internet and online databases. The library can also provide research services on any topic of interest to participants.

4 Medical facilities ESCWA s clinic is located on the first floor of the United Nations House (rooms F-145 to F- 147, ext and 1146) and is open during official working hours (7.30 a.m. to 3 p.m., from Monday to Friday). Security and safety The ESCWA s Security and Safety Section, based on the ground floor of the United Nations House (GF-00 and GF-03, ext or 1003), operates on a 24-hour basis. Internet access Wireless Internet is available on all floors as well as the ground floor, mezzanine and B1 conference areas. Except for the conference area at the B-1 level, access to the Internet on all other floors requires a pass key which is posted in general public areas on each floor. Telecommunication services The country code for Lebanon is (961). It is followed by the local area code and the telephone number. The area code for Beirut is (01) and for mobile phones is (03) or (70), (71), or (76). If you are dialling Lebanon from outside the country, you must omit the (0) in the area code and for the mobile phone starting with (03). The main listed telephone number of ESCWA is Telephone information may be obtained from ESCWA s Communications Unit (room F-229, ext. 1210). Personal telephone calls, fax, mail and courier services may be provided against cash payment. ESCWA fax number: /1. Public pay phones are also available and can be used to make local and international calls. Most Lebanese use mobile phones, and coverage extends throughout the country. Pay phone cards are available in post offices, kiosks and smoke shops; mobile phone cards can be purchased from mobile phone retail shops which are abundantly available throughout Lebanon. Facilities and services in Lebanon Accommodation Hotel accommodation is available at reasonable rates for persons attending the meeting. (please refer to document Hotel 2012).

5 Weather Weather in Lebanon is generally moderate, typical of many Mediterranean countries and is characterized by four seasons: spring, summer, fall and winter. Average temperatures during Spring in Beirut range between: 18º C-25º C (during the period April-June). Banking, currency and exchange rates The unit of currency is the Lebanese pound (or lira, LL). Coins are issued in denominations of LL250 and LL500 and notes in denominations of LL1,000, LL5,000, LL10,000, LL20,000, LL50,000 and LL100,000. The current rate of exchange for the United Nations programme is US$1.00 = LL1,501, while the exchange rate on the Beirut market is US$1.00 = LL1,500. There are no exchange restrictions on the inflow and outflow of local and foreign currency, nor on the exchange and transfer of currencies. Banks are open between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m., from Monday to Friday, and between 8 a.m. and noon on Saturdays. Exchange offices are open until late in the evening. There are several banks located in the vicinity of the United Nations House. United States dollars are used widely throughout the country. Major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club etc.) are accepted at most stores, restaurants and hotels throughout the country. Automatic teller machines (ATMs) are also widely available in Beirut and main cities throughout the country and usually dispense both United States dollars and Lebanese pounds. Transportation Commuting between hotels and the United Nations House can be made by taxi or service. Such vehicles are plentiful and may be hailed along any street in Beirut. Restaurants and shopping There are many Lebanese, European and Middle Eastern restaurants in and around Beirut, as well as a number of fast food restaurants. Many restaurants are located in the Beirut Central District, minutes walk away from the United Nations House. SIGHTSEEING Main cities, historical landmarks The Capital of Lebanon is Beirut. Other main cities include Tripoli, Jbeil (Byblos), Saida (Sidon) and Tyre (Sur).

6 The United Nations House is located in the Beirut Central District. Sights in the immediate vicinity include the newly-restored town centre area, offering shops, restaurants, Roman ruins, the parliament and Government houses; the Corniche, a wide paved walkway along the sea; the famous Hamra Street, for those who like to shop. The Ministry of Tourism or any of the numerous travel agencies in Beirut may be contacted for further information on guided tours or other cultural and touristic sites of interest around Lebanon. The Cedars of Lebanon, which are one of its most important landmarks, serve as the country s national emblem. The most important historical landmarks are Baalbeck, Beiteddine, Byblos, Jeitta Grotto, Aanjar, and Qadisha Valley. The following website may be visited for more information: Government office hours Working hours in Government offices are from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., except on Sundays and official holidays. No official holidays coincide with the session. Internet Internet cafés are available throughout Lebanon and many hotels and restaurants now offer high-speed Internet access for free or for a small fee. Languages While Arabic is Lebanon s official language, English and French are widely spoken. Most Lebanese speak at least two or three languages. Many establishments provide signs, menus and information in both Arabic and English. Time Lebanese time is G.M.T. +2 hours in winter (October to March) and +3 hours in summer (beginning April to end September), when daylight saving time is observed. Electrical current The electrical current is 220 or 110 volts AC (50 cycles) country-wide. USEFUL NUMBERS IN LEBANON Internal Security Forces (Police) Contact: 112 Civil Defense Contact: 125 Fire Brigade Contact: 175 Red Cross Contact: 140 Yellow Pages Contact: 1515 Beirut International Airport Inquiries Contact: 150

7 REQUEST FOR HOTEL ACCOMODATION ILO Preparatory Regional Meeting of Labour Statisticians for the 19th ICLS Beirut, Lebanon, June 2012 Mr./Mrs/Ms: Name Last Name: Address: City: Country: Phone: Fax: Please indicate your preferred hotel: Date of arrival Flight N 0 Date of departure: Flight N 0 I authorize the use of my credit card to guarantee my hotel reservation: American Express Master Card Visa Other Credit card Nº: Date of expiration: Please send to Ms. Ms. Zeina Sinno at sinnoz@un.org no later than 30 May 2012