The Seminar will be held on June 1-7, 2002 at hotel "Valday" (400 km from Moscow) and in Novgorod the Great. Arrival date from Moscow to hotel "Valday" is June 1; the participants are supposed to be in Moscow by late afternoon of May 31 in order to catch the night train to Valday (see arrival details below). The Seminar will move to Novgorod in the evening of June 5. Departure from Novgorod to Moscow is on June 7 by a night train.
Russian visa will be issued by the Consulate on the basis of the invitation which we will send directly to the Consulate. To arrange for this invitation, we need the information listed in the registration form as soon as possible. We kindly ask you to fill in the form and send it to us via E-mail or through Internet (even in case you have already filled in the Application form--new fields required by Consulates have been added). Please, provide us also with separate forms for each of the accompanying persons. If you have any problems with this form please get in touch with us via E-mail as soon as possible. We will inform you via E-mail when the Consulate is ready to issue your visa.
In case you need an official invitation for other purposes than visa, please contact us.
If you plan to give a talk at the Seminar please do not forget to include its preliminary title in the application form.
Registration fee is 100 US dollars. In addition, the cost of local expenses is 450 US dollars (it includes lodging at Valday and in Novgorod, meals there, transportation Moscow--Valday--Novgorod--Moscow and two nights May 30/31 and June 8/9 in Moscow). These payments are to be made to the Organizing Committee. We will accept Russian roubles, US dollars and EURO, cash only. The Organizing Committee will arrange for your accommodation in Moscow (presumably, hotel "Sputnik", Leninsky prospect 38), in the hotel "Valday" and in Novgorod the Great (hotel "Intourist-Novgorod") and transportation Moscow--hotel "Valday"--Novgorod--Moscow.
One of us will meet you in Sheremetyevo (or Domodedovo, Vnukovo) airport carrying the Seminar poster. Please, E-mail us your flight information (day, time, airport, number of flight) as soon as you have it! Please, note that, unlike previous years, some companies fly not to Sheremetyevo airport, but to Domodedovo or Vnukovo. We do need the information on the airport from you! Please, do not leave the airport if you do not find a receiving person upon your arrival. Though it is very improbable that we don't find each other, in that case call the Organizing Committee, phone 133-65-33 or 135-20-51.
Participants that are going to come to the hotel "Valday" with the main group should arrive to Moscow not later than morning of May 31. Buses will take them from the hotel "Sputnik" to the Oktyabrskaya station in Moscow in order to catch the 21.00 train to Novgorod. Transportation from Novgorod to the hotel "Valday" will be provided by buses on June 1.
An alternative way to get to the hotel "Valday" is by car. Moving from Moscow, one drives along the Moscow--St.Petersburg hihgway (E95), passes the town of Valday, and soon after takes a turn to DOLGIE BORODY. The turn is at about 380th km sign. One goes along this local road without turning anywhere, until the entrance to the hotel "Valday" is on the left. Please, inform us if you are going to come to Valday on your own.
Money exchange (US dollars and EURO) is possible in various banks. 1USD is equal to approximately 31 roubles. Though currencies other than US dollars and EURO can be exchanged in some Moscow banks, the rates are very unfavourable. We recommend you to bring cash rather than credit cards or travellers checks, since there are only few places in Moscow where credit cards or travellers checks are acceptable. Credit cards and travellers checks are useless at hotel "Valday" and in Novgorod. There is no money exchange at hotel "Valday".
Usually the weather in the beginning of June is warm (+18 to +25 degrees Celsius) and sunny, but some cool (+12) and rainy days are still possible.
The hotel "Valday" offers a lot of recreation services: swimming-pool, training equipment, lease of bicycles, water bicycles and boats, sauna, library etc. There are also tennis courts, though not of great quality.
Social programme of the Seminar includes excursions both during the stay at Valday and in Novgorod. At Valday, an excursion to Iver monastery and Museum of bells is planned. In Novgorod there will be excursions in the historical centre of the town (with visits to Novgorod Kremlin and ancient cathedrals) and to nearby monasteries -- Viazhischi and Yurjev -- which are the gems of Russian medieval architecture.
Last modified: Fri Apr 5 16:01:58 MSD 2002