Hi Matt,
I have some questions about our conference in Brussels:
- whether the date of April 9 is final. I would like to buy flight tickets. My university has an airline tickets provider and it takes time to deal with them. I found flights from Lodz.
- when do we expect the agenda? I would like to send an agenda to invited guests.
- can you give the address of the conference venue? In the meantime, I would like to look for hotels?
Thanks for understanding
Have a nice weekend
Izabela
Hi Iza
Yes, it's definitely the 9th. I'll circulate a draft agenda first thing tomorrow.
Matt
Hi everyone-
I apologise for the delay. Attached is the draft agenda. I was thinking we should have a few minutes each for at least one of each of our social partners to say a little bit about active ageing from their perspective. We could do this one of 2 ways. Either we can have a social partner respond to each of our national reports (15 min each) or have a 45 minute roundtable discussion with at least one social partner from each country participate with some chosen questions. What do you think?
Matt
Hi Matt,
thank you for the agenda. In my opinion the better option is when we will present main national conclusions from reports and a social partner will refer from his/her own perspective.
Regarding the agenda. Maybe we should reduce the time for each of us to 20 minutes and take another break between the lunch and the presentation of the tool. We have very little time for lunch so the participants can be tired of the intensive program. At the same time, we should end up having time because some of participants can plan return home directly from conference room.
Have a good day
Iza
Hi Matt,
Thank you. Please, can you share details on the conference's venue? Any suggestion regarding accommodation?
Most probable, from Spain we'll attend 3 people: a social partner, Pilar and I.
Mariano
Hi Matt,
Thank you for sharing the draft agenda.
I would suggest to revise and simplifying it concentrating the presentations of the four national cases in the morning (after your general presentation) and organizing a round table with all the social partners involved soon after lunch (before launching the online tool).
Also, I suppose there will be a catering service for lunch, correct? I need this information to estimate the amount of DSA for us and the social partners that we'll invite.
Best,
Paolo
Hello,
In our case we better like the agenda as it is (i.e. combining together each country's presentation with immediate response by social partner). We don't think a round table with all social partners is a good idea this time. It is easier for one of our partners preparing the session with us beforehand than facing several questions along with other social partners.
Please, take into account the language barrier that we'll have to take care of (as least in the case of Spain). No one from social partners involved in the project is able to speak/understand English. Therefore, some type of 'silent/shadow translation' will have to be provided during the session. We are not hoping that there are resources for translation but ask you all to be aware of the fact that in some cases (like ours) there will be in the room people unable to follow in English. Will English be the only acceptable language to present?
Mariano & Pilar
Matt,
We have slightly amended the agenda to update names of our social partners. Find it attached!
Mariano
Hi,
the Polish delegation has purchased accommodation at the Hygge Hotel www.hyggehotel.be, Rue des Drapiers 31-33, 1050 Ixelles - Belgium, close to the Louise metro station.
Best Regards
Iza
THanks Iza
If anyone else needs a hotel recommendation, UKRO gave me this. I'm still looking for translators as UKRO and Newcastle don't seem to have a recommended list
Hi I'm very sorry for the delay on this. It turns out that UKRO and Newcastle don't offer interpreters. Looking through interpreting services, it looks like each interpreter would cost €800 which may be difficult as we don't have a budget for it. If you could help with the interpretation or alternatively we could cover the cost of a student or someone similar for travel to help with the translation, that would be a helpful alternative. If you think it's absolutely essential to have an interpreter for your social partners, let me know.
Thanks
Matt
Dear Matt,
for the moment I have two solutions: one of us will help to understand presentations and discussions or our PhD candidate - Natalia Krakowiak has a time to take part in the conference. She has Proficiency oral IELTS - 8,5. Costs will less - flight about 215 our plus accommodation and catering. At least 400 eur.
We are in contact
Best
Iza
Thank you, Matt. I have a question: has the meeting room technical equipment for simultaneous translation? Depending on your reply I'll give you the best move forward from our point five.
Best wishes,
Mariano
Hi-
I received the attached brochure from UKRO. They don't have the interpreters' booths and don't seem to provide the earphones. I could look into renting some. WHat equipment would be needed? Iza's suggestion on the student would be a good one
Matt
Thanks, Matt. Are you suggesting that we could bring with us a Spanish student to help with translation? If so, my understanding is that we could cover his basic expenses (transportation, accommodation, meals). Do we have a budget for that? Please, clarify these queries for us. Thank you!
By the way, could we discuss the detailed agenda for the meeting? Our two social partners are expecting us to let them know how many minute they'll have to present (in case that both are invited to present, as I think we should be doing so that their trip to Brussels is fully justified).
Mariano
I do think that we need to find a convenient solution to the language barrier to be faced by our Spanish social partners. They are aware of the situation and we have told them that we are trying to find a feasible solution. Your idea of bringing a student to help with 'whispered translation' may work.
Mariano
Hi everybody,
regarding the final conference, I am enclosing an agenda with notes, previously sent to Matt.
Matt,
we are starting at 9:30 on Tuesday. Do you need us earlier? What time? Do you need any help today?
Polish delegation will start tomorrow from Łódź at 10:55 and at 4:00 pm we are in Brussels. We stay in
See you soon
Izabela
Izabela,
I am afraid that you forgot to attach your file. The Spanish time won't get in Brussels until midnight.
Mariano
sorry,
my file is here.
Thanks!
I have added some details regarding the Spanish team.
Mariano