WHO European Ministerial Conference on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in the Context of Health 2020 Ashgabat, Turkmenistan 3-4 December 2013 Guide for Participants W ORLD HEALT H O RG A N I Z AT IO N R EG I ONAL OFFICE FO R EU R O P E UN City, Marmorvej 51, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø, Denmark Telephone: +45 45 33 68 00 Fax: +45 45 33 70 01 Email: noncommunicable@euro.who.int Web: http://www.euro.who.int/
Contents Part I: Before arrival... 3 About Ashgabat... 3 Time zone... 5 Electricity... 5 Telephone... 5 Language... 5 Banks... 5 Emergency contact numbers... 5 Embassies in Ashgabat... 5 Pharmacies... 5 Climate and clothing... 6 Conference venue and dates... 6 Pre-registration for the Conference... 6 Working languages and documentation... 6 Visa... 6 Insurance... 7 Hotel accommodation... 7 Part II: On Arrival... 8 Arrival in Ashgabat... 8 Departure from Ashgabat... 8 Local transport in Ashgabat... 8 Currency... 8 Conference registration... 9 Social events... 9 Lunch and coffee breaks... 9 WiFi access... 9 Contacts... 10 page Guide for participants Page 2
Part I: Before arrival About Ashgabat Turkmenistan is a country of Central Asia. It is located in the southwestern part of the Region in a desert zone, to the north of the Turkmen-Khorasan Kopet Dag Mountain range, between the Caspian Sea in the west and the Amu Darya river in the north-east. The Great Silk Road ran through the territory of Turkmenistan; it was the road that connected the East and West, enriching the culture of different countries, bringing not only goods, but also new knowledge, philosophy, and even religion. Poets, scientists, philosophers and pilgrims often came with the caravans. The capital is Ashgabat (also Ashhabat) (Turkm. Aşgabat, in Persian "eshg" means "love" and "abad" - "inhabited"). It is the largest administrative-political, industrial, scientific and cultural center of the state. It is located in the south of the country in the foothills of the Kopetdag ridge on the Turan lowlands near the border with Iran. Ashgabat is a separate administrative unit. The city is included in the Guinness Book of Records as the city with the world's highest concentration of white marble buildings. The capital is developing rapidly since the years of independence. The main attractions of the capital are: Museums: State Museum of the State Cultural Center of Turkmenistan Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan Turkmen Carpet Museum - founded in 1993. The museum contains hundreds of the best examples of carpets, the oldest of which dates to the XVII century. Here is the second-largest handmade carpet, an area of which is about 301 m², and the weight is more than a ton The National Museum of Turkmenistan National Wildlife Museum Memorials and monuments: The Monument of Independence of Turkmenistan Monument of Neutrality Monument to the Constitution The monument and museum in memory of the victims of the 1948 earthquake in Ashgabat Memorial to Turkmen soldiers who fell during World War II Monument to the Holy Rukhnama Reserve" Nisa" is a unique monument of history. It is an ancient town, located 18 km from modern Ashgabat, dating back to the I century BC - I AD. The ancient settlement consists of two forts: Old and New Nisa. Old Nisa was once a royal residence in Parthia, Guide for participants Page 3
and New Nisa served as the capital of the Parthian Kingdom. In a small area of the ancient city, a large number of unique objects of the past was found, including 2,700 clay tablets with inscriptions, ruins of an ancient fortress Mitridatkert, remnants of urban neighborhoods, churches, palaces, archive of documents, works of art, etc. The main flag of Turkmenistan is attached to the fourth highest flagpole in the world. Fountain complex "Oguzhan and Sons" is near the entrance of the international airport of Ashgabat. It is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the complex that includes the highest number of fountains in a public place. According to the Guinness Book of Records, this complex includes 27 synchronized, lit and fully programmable fountains with a total area of about 15 hectares. The palace complex "Oguzhan" (Turkm. "Oguzhan" Köşgi) is the residence of the President of Turkmenistan. Theatres: Main Playhouse Russian Drama Theatre Musical Theatre Student Theatre Youth Theatre Puppet Mosque of Turkmenbashi Ruhy is located in Kipchak, the native village of Saparmurat Niyazov, 15 km from Ashgabat. The total area of the mosque is 18 thousand square meters, and its height is 55 m. There are four 80 meter high minarets near the mosque. Cultural and entertainment center "Alem" is a cultural and entertainment center, located on the Archabil Shayoly, with a height of 95 meters. A ferris wheel is installed inside the center and it is currently the largest enclosed wheel in the world. A mountain trail Health runs around the capital and passes the most picturesque places of Kopet Dagh. In 2017 Ashgabat will host Asian Sports. Guide for participants Page 4
Time zone Ashgabat is (UTC/GMT +5 hours). Electricity The typical main voltage in Turkmenistan is 220 volts AC. The European type wall socket (two-pin plugs) is standard in Turkmenistan. A travel adapter might be needed to use local power outlets. Telephone The telephone prefix for Ashgabat is: + 99 3 Language Turkmen is spoken in Turkmenistan, and the most commonly spoken foreign language is Russian. Banks Most banks in Ashgabat are open from Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 18:00, but closed for a lunch break from 13:00 to 14:00. Exchange offices are widely available in all locations. 24-hour exchange offices are available at the State Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Turkmenistan, the Turkmen - Turkish joint-stock commercial bank, the bank "Turkmenistan" and "President", and large shopping centers such as Impash and Gulistan. The exchange rate is $ 1 = 2.84 Turkmen manat. Emergency contact numbers Ambulance: 03 Police: 02 Fire department: 01 Embassies in Ashgabat http://www.mfa.gov.tm/en/31-ministry-of-foreign-affairs/diplomacy Pharmacies Pharmacies are open from Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 18:00 and on Saturday from 08:00 to 12:00. A 24-hour pharmacy standby service is available at: 1 pharmacy - AlisheraNavoi 40 2 pharmacies - BulvarLevitana 2/2, 3 pharmacies - Andaliba 21 6 pharmacies - Magtymgulishaely 155 25 pharmacies - Andaliba 80b, 30 pharmacies - Bitarap Turkmen Shaely 191/2 Pharmacy reference telephone line - +993 12 93-17-14 (15) Commercial pharmacies - +993 12 42-52-02 Guide for participants Page 5
Climate and clothing The climate of Ashgabat is midland subtropical. The average temperature in December ranges from +1 C to +12 C, with rain and fog possible. Mid-season clothes are recommended. Conference venue and dates Conference venue OGUZKENT HOTEL Bitarap Turkmenistan Avenue 744000 Ashgabat Turkmenistan Phone:+99312/449500 Fax:+99312/449501 Mail:H8213@sofitel.com www.sofitel.com Conference dates 3-4 December 2013 The Conference will be held in a smoke-free environment. Pre-registration for the Conference All participants are required to register online to confirm their participation through the link below which can be accessed only through Internet Explorer. Your username and password can be found in your personal invitation letter. Please note that the password is case-sensitive. http://workspace.who.int/sites/euro-dnp/ashgabat2013 Working languages and documentation The official working languages of the Conference will be English, French, German and Russian, and simultaneous interpretation will be provided. Documentation will be available on the Conference s website: www.euro.who.int/ncd-turkmenistan Visa A visa for Turkmenistan is required for all nationalities. The procedures and requirements are as follows: 1. Complete the enclosed visa support form 2. Attach a colour copy of your passport 3. Send the above to the following E-mails: Ms Hurma Orazova, HR department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan: hurma.health@inbox.ru Conference Secretarial: noncommunicable@euro.who.int Guide for participants Page 6
The Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan will issue a personal visa support letter to facilitate your visa application at the Turkmenistan Embassy of your country (if available) or upon arrival at Ashgabat International Airport. The processing is expected to take around two weeks. The visa fee for Conference participants has been waived. Participants who plan to stay in Turkmenistan for more than three working days need to bring two colour photos of 3 x 4 cm for the purpose of registration. To get registered, you should give your passport and photos to the Secretariat of the Conference during the lunch break on Tuesday, 3 December, 2013. The registration process will take 1-2 days, after which the passport will be returned to the owner. The conference organizers kindly ask not to neglect this requirement as an absence of registration of the passport may result in a fine upon departure from the airport of Ashgabat. Insurance WHO cannot accept liability for personal accidents or for the loss of or damage to private property of participants either during or arising indirectly from attendance at the Ministerial Conference. Hotel accommodation Hotel rooms are provisionally booked at special rates for Conference participants from 2 to 5 December 2013. You should indicate your hotel of choice upon registration. All prices include breakfast and VAT. You will receive an email confirming your booking, including detailed information on the payment system and the cancellation policy. If you have any questions please send an email to: sei@online.tm and noncommunicable@euro.who.int. Please note that availability and rates cannot be guaranteed for bookings received after 25 November 2013. List of conference hotels HOTEL OGUZKENT ***** 77 Standard rooms 96 Luxury rooms Double room Rates include breakfast buffet USD 250 USD 280 Rate given upon request HOTEL NUSAY ***** 57 Standard rooms Double room Rates include breakfast buffet USD 180 Rate given upon request Guide for participants Page 7
Part II: On Arrival Arrival in Ashgabat Upon arrival in Ashgabat airport, all participants will be met by officials of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan and other relevant departments, who will help during the passport control and luggage pick-up. Upon arrival, meeting of the participants will be organized through CIP and VIP. A reception desk will be located near the arrival hall at Ashgabat International Airport to assist participants and arrange the transport to the hotels mentioned in this guide. Departure from Ashgabat Mainly, the majority of the participants will depart by flights early in the morning on December 5, 2013. For all participants, there is an opportunity to stay in the hotel till the time of transfer to the airport (3 hours before the flight). Shuttle buses to the airport will go from the hotels Oguzkent and Nusay. For transfer to the airport at other times, participants are advised to approach the help desk at the Conference venue. Local transport in Ashgabat The Ministry of Health of Turkmenistan has generously offered shuttle busses between Oguzkent and Nusay Hotels during the days of the Conference. Should participants wish to stay in other hotels than mentioned in this guide, it is recommended that transport takes place by using the authorized yellow taxis. Taxi numbers are 32 97 74 and 32 97 75 (only in Russian). Currency The local currency is Turkmen Manat. Some hotels and restaurants also accept payment in cash by US dollars. Payment by credit card is not common in Turkmenistan. However, all hotels identified for this conference accept Visa or Amex credit cards. Participants are advised to bring USD dollars (in small notes) or Euros. Currency exchange facilities will be made available for participants at the venue of the conference, Oguzkent hotel. Guide for participants Page 8
Conference registration Participants are advised to have an identity card (with photo) at registration. Participants should register upon arrival at the conference site: The hotel Oguzkent in the following days and times: Monday, December 2, 2013 16:00-19:00 Tuesday, December 3, 2013 08:00-09:00 The hotel Nusay in the following days and times (for hotel Nusay guests only): Monday, December 2, 2013 16:00-19:00 Social events Monday, 2 December 2013 13:30 Guided (ENG+RUS) tour to the Carpet Museum (duration approximately 2,5 hours) and sight-seeing tour around the city (organized by the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan) 19:30 Welcome reception hosted by the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan, Oguzkent Hotel, by invitation only. Dress code: official. Tuesday 3 December 2013 19:30 Reception hosted by the WHO Regional Director for Europe (Yildyz Hotel) (organized jointly with the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan), by invitation only. Dress code: official. Wednesday 4 December 2013 16:00 Guided (ENG+RUS) tour to medical facilities in Ashgabat (duration approximately 2 hours) (organized by the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan). Lunch and coffee breaks For participants coming 2 December, 2013, the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan organizes lunch at the restaurant "AltynYildiz" from 12:00-13:30, where the participants will be delivered from their hotels by special transport. Lunch and refreshments during the breaks will be provided by the host for the entire duration of the Conference. WiFi access Wireless Internet access will be available to participants at the Conference venue throughout the Conference. The password for WiFi access will be: WHO Guide for participants Page 9
Contacts WHO Regional Office for Europe UN City Marmorvej 51 DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø Denmark Telephone: +45 45 33 70 00 Telefax: +45 45 33 70 01 Technical queries Frederiek Mantingh Email: frm@euro.who.int Phone: +45 45 33 6772 Administrative queries Yulnara Kadirova Conference Secretariat Email: noncommunicable@euro.who.int Phone: +45 45 33 6730; +45 45 33 6880 Accommodation and online registration Conference Secretariat Email: noncommunicable@euro.who.int Phone: +45 45 33 6730; +45 45 33 6880 Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan Dr Bahar Agaeva: Email: bahar_agaeva@mail.ru Phone: +993 12 40 05 44 Dr Khurma Orazova: Email: hurma.health@inbox.ru Phone: +993 12 40 04 50 Dr Sachly Nuryeva: Email: sei@online.tm Phone: +993 12 40 05 93 Dr Muhammed Ergeshow: Email: ergeshow@gmail.com Phone: +993 12 40 05 49 Guide for participants Page 10