destination: cochabamba, bolivia
DESCRIPTION
A Practical Guide to the 2015 JCI Conference of the AmericasTRANSCRIPT
Dear 2015 JCI Conference of the Americas delegates and honored guests,
Greetings from the heart of Latin America!
During the last three years, the 2015 JCI Conference Organizing Committee in Cochabamba has been working extremely hard and with great dedication to provide delegates a unique and exciting conference to celebrate JCI’s 100 years of impact. In fact, it will be the greatest celebration the Americas has seen.
During this special year, we seek to give JCI members from all over the world, a chance to experience and exchange stories of impact and cultures full of diversity.
I invite you to mark your history within JCI by becoming part of the celebrations commemorating JCI’s 100 years of impact. This conference is especially meaningful as we all together celebrate the 100 years of impact that will light up this wonderful conference.
I hope that this guide provides you with the necessary information and helps you prepare to have one of the best and most pleasant experiences of your life. I wish you a great trip and a marvelous stay in the beautiful city of Cochabamba.
Víctor Machín 2015 JCI Executive Vice President for the Americas
Cochabamba | BolivaDESTINATION:
A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE 2015 JCI CONFERENCE OF THE AMERICAS
Conference Information
AccommodationsHeadquarters Hotel
Gran Hotel Cochabamba Plaza Ubaldo Anze, La Recoleta Cochabamba, Bolivia
Tel: +591-448-9520 Booking: [email protected] Hotel Information: www.granhotelcochabamba.com
Senate Hotel
Gran Hotel Cochabamba Plaza Ubaldo Anze, La Recoleta Cochabamba, Bolivia
Tel: +591-448-9520 Booking: [email protected] Hotel Information: www.granhotelcochabamba.com
If you need assistance booking one of the hotels, please contact:
Hospitality Director
Claudia Valenzuela
WhatsApp: +591-7-794-7757 [email protected]
VenuesThe conference venue, as well as the Headquarters Hotel is the Gran Hotel Cochabamba, located in the traditional neighborhood of La Recoleta, a prime location for business visits, tours and vacations.
All daytime activities will take place at the Gran Hotel Cochabamba. The hotel provides amenities including a variety of room options, large terraces and beautiful gardens surrounded by magnificent mountains. The Gran Hotel Cochabamba offers other facilities such as conference rooms, restaurants and pools as well as two large salons. The colonial architecture of the hotel combined with the modernity of the convention center, provides an exciting environment and offers guests an unique experience.
Due to its strategic location, the Jorge Wilsterman Airport is only a 20 minute drive away. Furthermore, it gives guests convenient access to restaurants, clubs, food courts, movie theaters, hair salons and shopping malls.
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Explore Cochabamba
Cristo de la ConcordiaThe Cristo de la Concordia, meaning Christ of Peace, is located at the top of San Pedro hill. Individuals can visit the statue by automobile, climbing 2,000 steps or by cable car. The statue stands 40.44 meters high and weighs an approximate 2,200 tons and was modeled after Christ the Redeemer in Brazil. Upon completion, it became the largest statue of Christ in the world. To visit the largest statue of Jesus Christ in America, take the City Tour of the Conference.
Plaza 14 de SeptiembreVisit this beautiful plaza with incomparable gardens, located in the historical center of the city of Cochabamba. The Plaza center hosts several commemorative and libertarian events. A water fountain with Romanesque features is located at the southern part of the plaza for viewing as well.
Palacio PortalesA colonial icon of magnificent architectural beauty, built between 1915 and 1927, located just a few steps away from the Headquarters Hotel. The building serves as a Cultural and Pedagogical Centre of Simon I. Patiño, whose name was given in honor of one of the greatest mining businessmen in Bolivia, a multimillionaire known as the “King of the Tin.”
Santa Teresa ConventIt once sat as a monastery and historical cloister where nuns of the Order of Discalced Carmelites lived. Now, the building serves as a museum where visitors can appreciate works of art from the last century, with the colonial structure and characteristic furniture of that time period.
2015 JCI Conference of the Americas: COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA • MAY 20 – 23
Learn more about the Headquarters Hotel and Conference venue, alternative hotels and the city itself at:
Conference Information www.conferenciadelasamericas2015.jcibolivia.org
Facebook page www.facebook.com/jcibolivia
Headquarters Hotel presentation youtu.be/_irSCR17Rrw
RegistrationDelegates are strongly encouraged to register online before arriving in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Upon arrival, registered delegates should pick up their name badges from the registration desk located at the Aquarium Terrace in the Headquarters Hotel. The registration desk will be open on May 19 – 21; there will be multiple registration tables for delegate´s convenience.
Only delegates who have registered will be allowed to participate in Conference events. Admission will be restricted to delegates wearing Conference badges and holding event entry tickets, when necessary.
TransportationAirport
There are two ways to arrive by air in Bolivia, Viru Viru International Airport located in Santa Cruz and El Alto International Airport, located in La Paz, depending on your flight connections.
Once you arrive at either airport, there are direct connections to the city of Cochabamba through Boliviana de Aviación (BoA), the sponsoring airline of the Conference. This airline will transport you to Jorge Wilsterman Airport in Cochabamba.
Airway
The estimated flight time from the city of Santa Cruz to Cochabamba is 40 minutes and 30 minutes from the city of La Paz to Cochabamba. Other airlines, such as TAM and AMASZONAS also fly these routes.
From Airport to Headquarters Hotel
JCI volunteers will be waiting at Jorge Wilsterman Airport to help delegates to the Headquarters Hotel. There will be exclusive buses and taxis for JCI visitors. The cost of the transportation will be 5 US dollars (US $), equivalent to 35 Bolivianos (Bs) per person, to the Headquarters Hotel or any of the alternative hotels.
Taxis also provide service from Jorge Wilsterman Airport to the city center; the cost may vary from US $5 – 10.
Taxis are the safest, fastest and cheapest form of transport. For safety purposes, we highly recommend to not take a taxi alone and to verify the taxi is identified with a “Taxi” or “Radio Taxi” sign. Remember that taxi drivers do not usually accept US dollars; therefore we recommend exchanging some money at the airport prior to the start of your travels.
Alternative Land Transportation
Buses also run to the city of Cochabamba from Santa Cruz and La Paz. You must purchase your tickets at the bus station.
From Santa Cruz to Cochabamba it’s an estimated 10 to 11 hours of travel and from La Paz to Cochabamba it’s an estimated 6 to 7 hours of travel. The cost ranges from 60 to 100 Bs (US $9 – 15). There are regular buses, buses with beds and buses with semi-beds.
If any group decides to travel by bus, please inform the Conference Organizing Committee (COC) to help coordinate your arrival.
Travel VisaBolivia requires individuals from some nations to obtain travel visas, depending on the country of origin. Bolivia divides countries into three groups: Group I, countries with no visa requirement; Group II, countries required to obtain visas while in their origin country and Group III, countries that require visas once they arrive in Bolivia.
To find out which group you belong to, check the link below: conferenciadelasamericas2015.jcibolivia.org/visa.php
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In addition to visa requirements, we recommend that you carry your personal documents, such as return ticket, itinerary and vaccination certificate against yellow fever, with you at all times.
Conference AttireNational dress, dark business suits or tuxedos, cocktail or evening dresses are appropriate for:
• Opening Ceremony• Awards Ceremony• Presidential Gala
Business suits or national dress are appropriate for:
• General Assemblies• Other business sessions
Business casual dress is appropriate for:
• JCI Official Courses, seminars and workshops• JCI Regoinal Global Partnership Summit
of the Americas
Casual dress (unless otherwise indicated) is appropriate for:
• Bolivian night• National parties
About Cochabamba, BoliviaCochabamba is located in central Bolivia, located in a valley surrounded by majestic mountains. It is the fourth largest city in Bolivia and is known as the “The Garden City” due to its spring-like temperatures and mild and dry climate year round.
Not only is Cochabamba known for its beautiful weather, but is also known for being the Culinary Capital of the Country. One of the most popular dishes of Cochabamba is Pique Macho, bite-sized pieces of beef, sausage and fried potatoes accompanied with a mixture of onions, locoto, egg, onion and tomato.
WeatherCochabamba is known for being a city of dry and mild climate, a typical climate of the valleys. During Autumn – Winter (September – February) the temperatures usually do not drop less than 10°C; while in Spring – Summer (March – August) the temperature does not exceed over 30°C. However, the temperature usually changes during the day, so we recommend bringing warm clothing to wear at night and light clothing to wear during the day.
Explore Cochabamba Continues
Quillacollo It’s considered the land of national integration because of the Festivity of the Virgen de Urkupiña. Declared Cultural Heritage of Bolivia, every year it attracts thousand of devotees and pilgrims.
For more information about tourism options within and outside Cochabamba please visit:
conferenciadelasamericas2015.jcibolivia.org
Tourism ResourcesThere’s a great variety of nearby and slightly far away places you may visit in Cochabamba; these places delight with a completely different landscape, such as Villa Tunari in El Chapare.
For more information, visit this links:
conferenciadelasamericas2015.jcibolivia.orgwww.boliviateespera.com
For help with any tourism plans, please contact the Conference Organizing Committee. Several tourisim packages for the days before and after the Conference are available.
2015 JCI Conference of the Americas: COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA • MAY 20 – 23
ElectricityIn Bolivia, electric sockets are 220V – 50Hz and use two-leg connectors, both plug type A and C (flat and round) work. www.iec.ch/worldplugs
CurrencyThe Boliviano (Bs) is the currency of Bolivia. It is divided into 100 cents (centavo). The smallest coin is 10 centavo and the highest is 5 Bs. In banknotes, the 10 Bs bill is the smallest bill and the 200 Bs bill is the highest.
US dollars (US $) are accepted in some stores, especially if large amounts are paid. US $1 is worth 6,86 Bs. We recommend exchanging currency in banks, but you can also exchange it on the streets for 6,92 Bs per US dollar.
Credit cards are widely accepted in Bolivia, with Visa and MasterCard being the most widely accepted. However, American Express and Diners Club International are also accepted at times. There’s a large variety of different ATM networks in Bolivia.
Before traveling, please inform your bank that you are traveling abroad, so you can use your credit cards in another country without any inconvenience.
Keep a reasonable supply of cash on hand to pay for taxis and small purchases.
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LanguageThe most widely spoken language in Bolivia is Spanish, in addition to indigenous nations known as: Quechua, Guaraní and Aymara among others.
There are several different accents in the Spanish language spoken by the Bolivian population according to the region: Camba accent is characterized for sounding loud, joyful and for the mispronunciation of the letter S; Chapaco accent is characterized by a sung intonation and an elongated pronunciation of some words; Andino or colla accent is characterized by a hasty pronunciation, somehow whistled, where the pronunciation of the letters RR and S are well marked out.
In addition, the event will feature simultaneous translation from English to Spanish and from Spanish to English during the General Assemblies.
HealthCheck with your local health care professional about which vaccinations to receive before visiting Bolivia. We recommend having a recent yellow fever vaccine, especially if you are planning tourism activities in Bolivia, Amazonia or any neighboring countries.
Conference delegates will have a health care center available to them at the Headquarters Hotel, with doctors available from 10:00 to 19:00 for medical consultations. An ambulance will also be present with the capability to transport delegates to any clinic or hospital if necessary. Furthermore, the medical and ambulance services will be available during the scheduled evening events, just a phone call away at no cost.
Service’s telephone: +161-7-277-0620
Time ZoneBolivia has the same time throughout the entire year. It’s located in the – 4:00 UTC – GMT time zone.
Plug Type A
Plug Type C
Internet AccessDelegates staying at the Headquarters Hotel will be granted Internet access to be used throughout their stay. Furthermore, the Conference features an Internet center with seven computers featuring Windows operating systems, available for all delegates.
Cochabamba AttireAttire seen in the city and rural life is easily distinguished from one another. Those who live in the city generally wear business casual clothing while those who live in rural areas wear more traditional dress.
Cultural NotesBolivia
Bolivia is the result of an amazing past rich in cultures, traditions and rituals. All this united in a land of diverse geography, in an area where every day a living culture is perceived. Knowing Bolivia not only means exploring its landscapes, cities and towns; really knowing Bolivia means knowing the people, what they think and how they feel.
There are about 40 ethnic groups in Bolivia and in many cases they´ve been able to preserve their traditions, their customs, and their lifestyles.
Oruro Carnival
As a result of cultural syncretism, the Oruro Carnival is one of the largest cultural expressions of the country, it was declared Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001 and is one of the biggest prides of Bolivians.
Without any doubt, Oruro Carnival is certainly unique due to its religious sense; it is the result of the Andean native world and the Christianity brought by the Spanish conquerors. This event is a complex expression that blends folklore, religious faith and pagan myth. Every year for six entire days, the carnival leads the deployment of a range of popular arts in the form of masks, textiles and embroidery. The essence of the Oruro Carnival is the Diablada (dance of the devils), representative of the battle between good and evil.
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National Nights and Parties
Global VillageGlobal Village takes place on the second night of the Conference of the Americas; it’s a special event where you’ll be able to learn about new cultures, American countries and highlight the brotherhood of men.
The Club Social (10 minutes away from the Headquarters Hotel) will grant us the facility of setting booths for every participant country, this way we will be able to provide the delegates adequate touring space through all booths.
Bolivian NightBolivian culture overflows with colors, dances and traditions. The Oruro Carnival, Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, awaits all participants with an exact replica that will take place in one of the most important city avenues, Bollivian Avenue, knowing better as Paseo del Prado. After this majestic experience of carnival, the delegates may access the Club Social, a place designed to continue enjoying the warm Bolivian culture and its cuisine.
Presidential Gala You can’t miss out on this event! This night is a moment to remember forever in your heart, this is the night where we will celebrate 100 years of the JCI Movement.
A night packed full of emotions! After an exciting JCI Awards Ceremony, we will go to the Presidental Gala. The celebration of 100 Years of the JCI Movement will take place in an elegant and full of surprises atmosphere, living up to the largest celebration of the past few years.
The JCI Awards Ceremony and Presidential Gala will be held at the Gran Salon, in Gran Hotel Cochabamba, starting at 19:45.
2015 JCI Conference of the Americas: COCHABAMBA, BOLIVIA • MAY 20 – 23
Andean Cosmo Vision
Nature, man and the Pachamama (Mother Earth) are elements considered as an indivisible unit or a whole, where they live in harmony and community. Cosmo vision is a way of seeing, feeling, expressing and living the world. The Andean Cosmo Vision is the culture of life, it takes care of life, it projects life and therefore respects and emerges not as a circumstance, but as a profound conviction that everything is unified. They consider that if a man hurts someone, he is hurting a whole. The Andean Cosmo Vision is a call to see life in complementation with our environment.
Cochabamba’s Culture
Fields of crops and valuable pre Inca and Inca ruins surround the city of Cochabamba. Cochabamba’s culture is based on believes, traditions and costumes. Among its traditions, the most important ones are their religious festivals: Festivity of the Virgen de Urkupiña, also called Patron of National Integration, that unites catholic and foreign peregrines, sinking into the duality of a religious and traditional celebration. This festivity is one of the most authentic expressions of the catholic religiosity and Bolivian culture.
Conference Key Events
Opening CeremonyAt the Opening Ceremony of the 2015 JCI Conference of the Americas, National Presidents and heads of delegations will greet delegates, representing their countries and showing their traditional costumes. Come cheer for your National Organization, enjoy the first day of the celebrations for 100 years of JCI and connect with the JCI community.
Wednesday, May 20 18:45 – 20:30 Gran Salón • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
Impact Forums and SessionsDiscover how young people around the Americas and JCI partners are creating a better world with their actions!
First Timers Session Wednesday, May 20 16:00 – 17:00 Salón Llallaguani • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI Morning Show Thursday, May 21 09:00 – 10:00 Salón Glorieta • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI Active Citizen FrameWorkshop Thursday, May 21 10:30 – 12:30 Salón Llallaguani • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI International Events Session Saturday, May 23 10:30 – 12:00 Salón Angostura • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
National Secretary General’s Session Saturday, May 23 14:00 – 15:00 Salón Liriuni • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI Regional Partnership Summit of the AmericasEngage the Cochabamba community in understanding the challenges of the 21st century at the Americas Regional Partnership Summit. Connect with active citizens from the local community, across the region to explore how the coordinated efforts of all sectors of society can lead the way to sustainable change through collective local action. Learn from experts how stakeholders from all sectors of the Americas can combine their knowledge, resources and skills to enable local communities to achieve sustainable impact and promote social equality.
Saturday, May 23 14:00 – 17:30 Club Social Cochabamba
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Contact Information
Conference Organizing CommitteeThe Conference Organizing Committee can be reached at: [email protected]
Registration issuesDirector of Registrations Adriana Borda Tel: +591-7-075-7000 [email protected]
For special affairsDirector of the Conference of the Americas
Sandra Salgueiro Tel: +591-7-222-0026 [email protected]
EmergencyIn case of emergency, the general public numbers are:
Firefighters: 119 Police: 110 Ambulance: 161
National Presidents Meeting and General AssembliesSee the major decisions your National representatives will make this year to create impact across the Americas!
National Presidents Meeting Wednesday, May 20 09:00 – 12:30 Salón Glorieta • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
General Assembly 1 Thursday, May 21 14:00 – 15:30 Salón Glorieta • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
General Assembly 2 Friday, May 22 09:00 – 12:30 Salón Glorieta • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI ProgramsJCI members are challenged to show their impact at the international level. Don’t miss the most exciting competitions and seize the opportunity to share the best practices in the Conference!
JCI World Public Speaking Championship Thursday, May 21 16:00 – 18:00 Salón Llallaguani • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI Twinning Ceremony Friday, May 22 17:00 – 18:00 Salón Angostura • Gran Hotel Cochabamba
JCI World Debating Championship Friday, May 22 14:00 – 16:00
English: Salón Angostura Spanish: Salón Llallaguani
JCI Awards Ceremony Saturday, May 23 20:00 – 21:00 Gran Salón • Gran Hotel Cochabamba