INFORMATION FOR PARTICIPANTS AT MEETINGS AT FAO
HEADQUARTERS
Conference, Council and Government Relations Branch,
KCCO
I. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION (1 - 17)
Access to FAO Headquarters (4)
Registration of Participants and Admission to Meetings (5 -
7)
Security (8 - 10)
Medical Services (11 - 12)
Access and Facilities for Disabled Persons (13 -
15)
Emergency Telephone Numbers in Rome (16)
Protecting Valuables (17)
II. MEETING SERVICES (18 - 45)
Korean Conference Service Centre (18 - 19)
Journal of the Conference and Order of the Day
(20)
Duration of Meetings (21 - 22)
Languages used in Meetings (23)
Plenary Meetings during Conference Sessions (24 -
28)
Meetings of Commission I and Commission II during Conference
Sessions (29 - 31)
Plenary Meetings during Council (32)
List of Speakers during Conference (33 - 35)
Meeting Rooms for Heads of Delegation (36 -
37)
Verbatim Records of Meetings (38 - 42)
Reports of Meetings and Drafting Committee (43 -
44)
Special Events during Conference and Council
(45)
III. FACILITIES AND ADDITIONAL SERVICES (46 -
93)
Participants’ Cloakrooms (46)
Participants’ Lounges (47)
Catering Facilities (48)
Dining Facilities (49 - 51)
Snack Bars and Vending Machines (52 - 53)
Slovak Business Centre (54)
Telephone, Telefax (55 - 60)
WiFi Coverage (61 - 64)
Internet Point and Downloading of Documentation for Governing
Bodies (65 - 66)
Postal Services (67 - 68)
Parking Facilities (69)
Local Transportation (70)
Car Rental (71 - 72)
Taxis (73 - 74)
Public Transportation (75 - 76)
Buses/Trams (77 - 78)
Underground (Metro) (79)
Travel Facilities (Reservation and Confirmation of Flights)
(80 - 81)
Accommodation in Rome (82)
Banking and Currency Exchange Facilities (83 -
86)
FAO Sales Point (87)
Newsstand (88)
Bookshop (89)
Photo Shop (90)
Pharmacy (91)
Shopping (92)
Credit Cards (93)
IV. MEDIA AND LIBRARY SERVICES (94 - 104)
Media Working Arrangements, Briefings and Inquiries (94 -
96)
The David Lubin Memorial Library (97 -
104)
ANNEX - HEADQUARTERS MEETING ROOMS
I. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
- FAO Headquarters is located on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, in front
of the Circo Massimo. It can be reached by car, bus, tram and metro
line B (Circo Massimo stop).
- There are six buildings in FAO Headquarters, all interconnected. The
large conference rooms (Plenary Hall, Red Room, Green Room) are all in
Building A. Several smaller meeting rooms are located in Buildings A, B, C
and D. Conference and meeting rooms are listed in the Annex.
- The two-story glass-enclosed Atrium interconnects Buildings A and B and
may be the center of some of the activities scheduled during
meetings.
- Access to FAO Headquarters is restricted to persons in possession of a
valid building pass (see section on Registration). Pass-holding visitors may
use the following entrances to FAO Headquarters:
- Building A Main Entrance (gate on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla).
- Building B Entrance (side entrance past the petrol station in FAO
parking area).
- Building D Entrance (gate on Viale Aventino).
- On the first day of each meeting, participants are requested to use the
Main Entrance in Building A, and proceed to the Turkish Registration Centre
to the immediate left to register and pick up their Building Pass.
- Building Passes will be issued only after receipt of completed
Registration Forms. A valid identity document will need to be presented to
registration officials to collect the Building Pass.
- Lost Building Passes should be reported without delay to the FAO
Security Office.
- The FAO Security Office operates from 07.30 hours to 17.30 hours from
Room B062 (extension 55159); after 17.30 hours contact the Security Guards
in Building A (extension 53145, 06-5705-3145 from outside FAO Headquarters).
The Security Office:
- receives official telephone calls requiring follow-up action after
normal working hours;
- assists in locating and notifying the Organization’s senior officials
in an emergency;
- liaises with national security representatives regarding security
arrangements for dignitaries;
- liaises with local authorities whenever outside emergency assistance
is required (e.g. ambulance, medical, police);
- handles lost and found properties.
- Strict security measures are observed at the FAO Headquarters. Metal
detectors are in operation at the Building A entrance. Participants are
requested to wear their Building Passes at all times.
- Participants are advised not to leave briefcases or any valuable items
unattended in conference rooms.
- The Medical Service provides emergency medical assistance in FAO to
participants at meetings.
- For medical emergencies, dial 30 from all in-house telephones. For all
other medical services, call extension 53577 from in-house telephones
(06-5705-3577 from outside FAO Headquarters).
- All entrances (see paragraph 4) at FAO Headquarters are accessible to
disabled persons with wheelchairs. A lift is provided in Building A, and a
ramp is provided in Building D.
- Most lifts at FAO Headquarters have wheelchair access.
- Restroom facilities for disabled visitors are located in Building A on
the ground, first and third floors near the meeting rooms.
- The following numbers may be useful in case of emergency outside FAO
Headquarters:
- Medical Emergencies 118
- General Emergencies 113
- Fire 115
- Ambulance 118
- City Physician on Call (Medico di Guardia)
06-58201030
- Participants are advised to carry their valuables in a safe place,
especially on public transport. There might be pickpockets on the street,
the underground and on buses and trams. Once Participants have checked into
their hotels, it is advisable to leave important documents such as passports
in the hotel safe and to carry a photocopy. Identity cards, keepsakes and
anything else not needed in the city are best left at the hotel or place of
residence.
- Meeting documents can be downloaded from the FAO web
site. For reasons of economy, documents are produced in
limited number quantities. Participants are requested to bring documents to
meetings and refrain from asking for additional copies.
- FAO distributes official documents in the Organization's languages.
Participants who wish to make available documents should contact the
Supervisor of the Documents Desk.
- During Conference sessions, the Conference, Council and Government
Relations Branch (KCCO) prepares a daily programme of meetings, events and
announcements. This information appears in the form of the Journal during
sessions of the Conference and the Order of the Day during the Council and
is available online and at the Documents Desk.
- Normally, morning meetings are scheduled from 09.30 hours to 12.30
hours, and afternoon meetings from 14.30 hours to 17.30 hours, or later if
required. On the first day, the morning meeting is scheduled from 10.00
hours to 13:00 hours.
- It is essential that meetings start on time and that the schedule be
respected. Delegates are urged to arrive in good time.
- The languages of the Organization are Arabic, Chinese, English, French
and Spanish. Simultaneous interpretation is provided in these languages at
Sessions of the Governing Bodies. Governing Body meeting documents are also
published in these languages.
- The first two Plenary meetings of a Conference Session consist mainly of
procedural matters. At its first Plenary meeting, the Conference elects its
Chairperson and three Vice-Chairpersons, appoints the seven members of the
General Committee and the nine members of the Credentials Committee. These
appointments are followed by the delivery of the McDougall Memorial Lecture.
The Plenary meeting then adjourns to enable the General Committee to hold
its first meeting.
- At its second Plenary meeting in the afternoon, the Conference, acting
on the first report of the General Committee, adopts the Agenda, establishes
the Commissions, appoints a Resolutions Committee and deals with the
admission of observers and other procedural matters. It also adopts the
first report of the Credentials Committee. The votes on the admission of new
Members take place, and are followed by the ceremony of admission. While the
votes are being counted, the presentation of the B.R. Sen Awards, the A.H.
Boerma Award, the Edouard Saouma Award and the Margarita Lizárraga Medal
takes place.
- The Third Plenary meeting includes the Director-General’s Statement to
the Conference on the work of the Organization, followed by the Statement of
the Independent Chairperson of the Council.
- The General Debate by Heads of Delegation on the State of Food and
Agriculture usually takes place from the Third to the Eighth Plenary
meetings. Friday morning is set aside for the vote on the Programme of Work
and Budget, and the afternoon for the election of the Independent
Chairperson and Members of the Council.
- The remaining Plenary meetings are used to conclude other items on the
Agenda and to adopt the report of the Conference.
- As the Plenary proceeds with its work, Commission I and Commission II
are also in session. Each of these Commissions has its own Chairperson,
Vice-Chairpersons, Drafting Committee and Secretariat.
- Commission I begin its work on Monday, and adopts its report within the
Commission by Thursday. Commission I Reports are then adopted in Plenary on
the last day of the Conference.
- Commission II also begins its work on Monday morning, and adopts its
report in Commission on Thursday afternoon. Commission II Reports are
forwarded to the Plenary for final adoption on the last day of the
Conference.
- During sessions of the Council, working hours are the same as those
indicated in paragraph 21.
- Requests for speaking time during the General Debate on the State of
Food and Agriculture in Plenary are made through the Office of the
Director, Conference, Council and Protocol Affairs Division (KCC), Room
A140, extension 56186 (Tel. 06-5705-6186; e-mail: [email protected]).
Reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis, using the
speaking time request downloadable from the Conference web page.
- Delegates are advised that statements should not be longer than 5
minutes for Heads of Delegation and 4 minutes for observers. To facilitate
the observation of time available, a light system installed on the lectern
indicates when the time limit has been reached.
- To facilitate interpretation, 10 copies of each statement should be
delivered in advance to the Office of the Chief Interpreter, extension 54503
(Tel. 06-5705-4503) preferably in electronic format to
[email protected].
- Upon request, delegates to the Conference and Council may reserve small
rooms for discussions with other Conference participants for two to three
hour throughout the course of any given day because of the large number of
requests received.
- Delegates are requested to consult the Order of the Day or the Journal
of the Conference regarding the specific procedures to be followed to
reserve such rooms.
- Verbatim Records are produced for all sessions of the Plenary and
Commission I and Commission II during Conference sessions, as well as for
all sessions of the Council.
- Verbatim Records are available at the Documents Desk in the Korean
Conference Service Centre in English, French and Spanish within 24 hours of
completion of a meeting. Texts delivered in Arabic are transcribed in either
English or French, and those delivered in Chinese are transcribed in
English.
- Verbatim Records are also posted on the FAO Intranet Web site.
- Corrections may be submitted by delegates after Verbatim Records have
been printed/posted. Please refer to the Journal of the Conference or the
Order of the Day of the Council for information regarding the procedure to
be followed.
- Corrections appear on the posted versions of the texts, and are
subsequently incorporated into the final, printed Verbatim Records within
one month of the conclusion of the Conference or Council
sessions.
- Reports of the proceedings of all Conference and Council sessions are
produced in the five languages of the Organization for adoption in Plenary.
- For more information on Council Drafting Committee, contact the
Secretary of the Drafting Committee, extension 54096 (Tel.
06-5705-4096).
- Special Events on issues of interest to FAO members are scheduled to
take place during the Conference and Council sessions and are described in
the Journal of the Conference or the Order of the Day for the
Council.
- A cloakroom is available for use by Participants, at Conference and
Council sessions, in the Atrium (between Buildings A and B).
- Participants may use:
- Japan Lounge (area to the immediate right of the Plenary Hall, Third
Floor, Building A).
- Caribbean Lounge (area to the immediate left of the Plenary Hall,
Third Floor, Building A).
- Belgian Lounge (area directly in front of Plenary Hall, Third Floor,
Building A).
- Nordic Lounge (area between Red and Green Rooms, First Floor, Building
A).
- The FAO Headquarters offers dining and snack bar facilities where
participants may sit down for a meal, or order a quick snack and beverage.
- Many of the restaurants and available services around FAO Headquarters
are located on Viale Aventino.
- The FAO Cafeteria, located on the eighth floor, Building B, is available
to Participants from 12.00 hours to 14.30 hours for lunch. The free-flow
cafeteria offers a selection of hors d'oeuvres, first and second courses,
grill and salads.
- The FAO Restaurant, located on the eighth floor, Building C, offers a
daily menu and à la carte service. Please telephone ext. 56823 (Tel.
06-5705-6823) for reservations.
- There are several snack bars on the premises, offering hot and cold
beverages and a variety of pastries and sandwiches:
- Polish Bar (Ground Floor, Building A).
- Blue Bar “C” (Eighth Floor, Building C).
- Eighth Floor Bar (Eighth Floor, Building B).
- Bar D (Ground Floor, Building D).
- Vending machines with assorted refreshments are also located at various
points throughout the premises, including the Second Floor of Building A and
the Ground Floor of Building B.
- The Slovak Business Centre is a multi-functional workspace equipped with
phone, fax and PC facilities, located on the Ground Floor of Building B
(B013), extension 57090 (Tel. 06-5705-7090) and comprises a reception area,
Internet workstations, a lounge area, and a small meeting room. No food is
permitted in this facility.
- The telephone number of FAO Headquarters is +3906 5705 + extension. If
the extension is not known, dial +3906 57051 for the FAO switchboard
operator.
- Telephones are available in all meeting rooms and lounges and may be
used for internal and local calls. For internal calls, dial the required
extension. For local (Rome) calls, press “0” and wait for the external dial
tone, then dial the desired telephone number.
- Telephones for internal or Rome calls are also located at the entrance
to Building A and in the corridors of the first and third floors of Building
A.
- Public telephone facilities are located in the Main Entrance of Building
A, at the entrance of Building D and in the “Flag Hall” on the Ground Floor
of Building B. They operate with Telecom Italia phone cards that can be
purchased from the Newsstand on the ground floor of Building B in front of
Banca Intesa San Paolo.
- A fax transmission service is available for a flat fee of €1 per page in
the Slovak Business Centre.
- Cellular phones should be switched off in meeting rooms.
- FAO offers WiFi coverage in the main Meeting Rooms (Red and Green
Rooms), as well as the Atrium, Cuba Room, David Lubin Library, Korean
Lounge, Nordic Lounge, German Room, Pakistan Room, Gabon Room, Mexico Room,
Philippines Room, UEMOA Meeting Room, Slovak Business Centre.
- Participants with a laptop or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) which has
Wireless Local Area Network (LAN) capabilities, conforming to the 802.11b or
802.11g standards, may use this free service.
- There are three steps to take in order to connect to the
service:
- Step 1: Turning on laptop or PDA, while in one of the WiFi areas.
- Step 2: Allowing laptop or PDA to detect the network “guest_internet”.
- Step 3: Opening a browser and trying to connect to an Internet site.
The following username and password should be used:
Username:
visitor.
Password: connect2web.
- No support can be provided if problems arise when connecting to, or
using, the wireless internet service.
- This service point is available for participants in the David Lubin
Library, located on the ground floor of Building A, Room A.022bis.A. The
computers in this area allow access to the FAO Web site, the Internet in
general and personal e-mail accounts.
- Governing Body Documents are available on the FAO Internet Web
Pages and can be accessed by clicking on Governing
Bodies on the FAO home page
- The Italian Post Office, located on the Ground Floor, Building B, is
open Monday to Friday, from 08.30 hours to 15.00 hours.
- The DHL Courier Service Office is located in C005 and is available for
private and official dispatches from 10.30 hours to 12.30 hours and from
13.30 hours to 16.00 hours, Monday through Friday. Call the Mail and Pouch
Service at extension 54881 for information and rates (Tel. 06-5705-4881).
Participants who wish to send documents back to their countries may do so
using these services.
- Limited parking is available for the use of Participants to FAO
meetings. It is, however, possible to park in the immediate vicinity of FAO
Headquarters.
- FAO does not provide cars for delegates. Delegates requiring
transportation can make their own arrangements with local car hire
firms.
- Some car rental companies have offices at both Ciampino and Fiumicino
Airports (open from Monday to Sunday, 09.00 hours to 18.30 hours).
- Avis: Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino Airport, Termini Station and eleven
offices in town. Information: Tel. 199-100-133 Bookings: Tel. (06)-419-99.
- Eurodollar: Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino Airport and five offices in
town. Bookings: Tel. (06)-228-1111.
- Europcar: Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino Airport, Termini Station and
eight offices in town. Bookings: Milan Tel. (02)-703-99700.
- Hertz: Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino Airport, Termini Station and four
offices in town. Bookings: Tel. 199-112211.
- Maggiore: Fiumicino Airport, Ciampino Airport, Termini Station and
five offices in town. Bookings: Tel. 848-867067.
- Car rental can also be arranged at FAO Headquarters:
- The Multiservice Office, located on the Ground Floor of Building E,
Room E006, offers automobile services including car rentals (9:00 to
15:00). For more information, please dial extension 53039/55829 (Tel.
06-5705-3039 or 06-5705-5829).
- The Summertime Travel Agency, located on the Ground Floor of Building
D, Room D074, extension 55145 or 56122 (Tel. 06-5705-5145 or
06-5705-6122).
Taxis
- Participants are advised to use only licensed taxis with meters.
Surcharge fares are applied for baggage, night runs, Sundays and holidays.
The Main Reception (Ground Floor, Building A) will assist participants to
request taxis.
- Participants can also call Radio Taxi Service (Tel. 06-3570 or 06-4994).
Upon calling, the taxi company operator will ask for the caller’s telephone
number and will give the caller the taxi’s identification number (which will
be marked on both sides of the car), as well as the estimated time it will
take to reach the caller.
- Tickets for public transport should be purchased in advance and are
available from underground stations, tobacco shops and newspaper kiosks as
well as from the Newsstand at FAO Headquarters (Ground Floor, Building B,
across from the Banca Intesa San Paolo).
- Tickets cost 1 Euro, and may be used once for underground transport and
unlimited bus/tram travel within the ticket validation time of 75 minutes.
Tickets are validated upon entering bus/tram or at the point of entrance to
the Metro. Day tickets valid for the entire bus/tram and metro network can
also be purchased.
- The public buses in Rome are managed by the Azienda per i Trasporti
Autoferrotranviari del Comune di Roma (ATAC). Access onto buses/trams is
both from the rear and front doors. Tickets should be purchased in advance
and immediately validated in one of the machines in the bus or tram.
Bus/tram stops can be distinguished by a yellow or green metal post.
- For further information on public transportation in Rome (including the
routes and schedules of buses and trams), please call: 06-469-54444 or
consult the ATAC
website
- There are two underground lines in Rome: Line A and Line B. The stops
are marked by a red and white “M” sign. Termini Station is the only Metro
station where the two lines intersect. The Metro stop for FAO is Circo
Massimo (Line B). Tickets must be purchased before boarding.
- The Summertime Travel Agency (www.summertime.it), the official travel
agency of FAO, is located on the Ground Floor of Building D (Room D074)
(09.00 hours to 12.45 hours and 14.00 hours to 17.00 hours). For further
information, contact extension 55145 or 56122 (Tel. 06-5705-5145 or
06-5705-6122). The following services are provided by Summertime:
- Air ticket reservation and purchase.
- Assistance with return flights.
- Itinerary changes.
- Post-meeting trips and excursions in Italy.
- Tours of Rome and surrounding area.
- Car rentals.
- Train and ferry tickets.
- Most airline offices in Rome are open from 09.00 hours to 17.00 hours on
weekdays and some are closed during the lunch hours. Airline offices are
closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
- The Summertime Travel Agency (see paragraph 80) assists Participants in
making hotel reservations at reduced rates.
- The currency of Italy is the Euro. The Banca Intesa San Paolo,
located on the Ground Floor, Building B, is open from 08.35 hours to 16:35
hours.
- Cash dispensers (ATM) for credit card withdrawals are located at the
entrance of the Bank and Post Office.
- In addition to Banca Intesa San Paolo, the Italian Post Office
located next to the Bank also processes postal/money orders.
- A special counter is set up in the Bank during large sessions to assist
participants.
- The FAO Sales Point is located in front of the Banca Intesa San
Paolo (Ground Floor, Building B) and is open from 09.00 hours to 12.30
hours. A selection of recent FAO publications and CD-ROMs and an assortment
of FAO Medals, Coins and Stamps, as well as logo and commemorative items can
be purchased here.
- The Newsstand is located on the Ground Floor of Building B near the
Banca Intesa San Paolo, and offers international newspapers and
magazines, as well as postcards, maps, and a large selection of periodicals.
The Newsstand is open from 06.00 hours to 18.00 hours. For more information,
dial extension 53273 (Tel. 06-5705-3).
- The Food for Thought Bookshop, located on the Ground Floor of
Building B next to the Newsstand, offers a selection of English, French and
Spanish language books, gift stationery, writing paper, gift wrapping paper,
greeting cards and guide books. The Bookshop is open from 08.00 hours to
17.30 hours. For more information, dial extension 53127 (Tel.
06-5705-3127).
- The Photo Shop, located on the Ground Floor of Building B, Room B0L1,
near the Food for Thought Bookshop, offers photo processing services
along with a selection of films, CDs, batteries and other photo accessories,
as well as reading glasses. The Photo Shop operating hours are from 09.30
hours to 13.00 hours and from 16.00 hours to 18.00 hours, and WFP (ext.
2942) from 14.00 hours to 15.30 hours. For more information, dial extension
53278 (Tel. 06-5705-3278).
- The pharmacy is located on the Ground Floor of Building B (Room B0L2)
near the Photo Shop and is open from Monday to Friday (08.00 hours-17.30
hours) with a one hour break for lunch between 14.00 hours and 15.00 hours.
Access to this service, however, is restricted to participants in the
medical schemes of the following Organizations: FAO, WFP, IFAD and
ICCROM.
- Shops in Italy are usually open from 09.00 hours to 13.00 hours and from
15.30 hours to 19.30 hours. However, many of the shops in the downtown area
also remain open during the lunch break.
- Internationally-recognized travellers’ cheques and credit cards are
accepted in hotels, major shops and restaurants.
- Working space for a limited number of media representatives covering
meetings at FAO Headquarters is available in the UEMOA Press Club, Ground
Floor of Building A (A018). This includes computers with Internet access.
Journalists will need to present photo identification and recognized Press
Cards to obtain access to the FAO Headquarters. The FAO Multimedia
Production Group has a library of broadcast quality video material available
for use by journalists, and a Radio studio which may be used by visiting
journalists by prior arrangement.
- Meeting Rooms need to be booked well in advance through the Office of
Director of Conference, Council and Protocol Affairs Division, who should
also be notified of any requirements for interpretation. The cost of
interpretation will be charged to the user. The FAO News and Multimedia
Service can assist with arrangements and circulate invitations to the
Rome-based media for these briefings.
- All inquiries concerning media arrangements should be addressed
to:
Chief, News and Multimedia Service
Room A310
Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Viale delle Terme di
Caracalla
00153 Roma
Italy
Tel: +39.06.5705-3625
Fax: +39
0657053966
- The David Lubin Memorial Library is located at FAO Headquarters on the
Ground Floor of Building A. Established in 1952, the Library is named in
honour of the founder of the International Institute of Agriculture (IIA),
David Lubin. The extensive IIA collection constituted a starting point for
the present-day Library, which is considered one of the world's finest on
food, agriculture and rural development.
- The Library has over one million volumes, and the journal collection
contains approximately 13,000 titles of which over 3,000 are electronic. The
heavily-used working collection consists of FAO documentation, books and
serials in FAO subject fields, the reference collection and specialized
Branch Library collections in Fisheries and Forestry. The Library also
includes the IIA and Rare Books collections.
- Subjects covered include agriculture, food and nutrition, rural
development, plant production and protection, animal production and health,
agroforestry, forestry, fisheries, sustainable development, statistics,
agricultural economics, environmental issues, natural resource management,
bioenergy, climate change and other related subjects.
- The FAO Library Catalogue On-line includes FAO publications and
technical documents from 1945 to date, library book holdings from 1976 and
journal holdings.
- Electronic access to scholarly scientific journals and databases in
FAO's subjects of interest is also available.
- The David Lubin Memorial Library offers reference and information
services, tours and briefings to FAO staff and delegations, inter-library
loans and reproduction of FAO documents. For specific information requests,
contact the library in person or via email [email protected].
- The Library is open to FAO staff, Permanent Representatives to FAO and
delegations to FAO Conferences, Councils and Technical Committees from
Monday to Friday 8.30 hours - 17.00 hours.
- The Library is not open to the general public. Access may, however, be
granted on Tuesdays and Thursdays 09.30 hours - 16.00 hours to university
students, researchers and members of the development community. Requests
should be addressed to the Chief Librarian, extension 53703 (Tel.
+39.06.5705-3703, [email protected]) or the Reference Section, extension 53784
(Tel. +39.06.5705-3784, [email protected])