Information for the Second UNESCO Youth Forum Looking Beyond Disaster in Sendai, Japan We look forward to seeing

you in Sendai at the forum, and the programme is developing. 1. What you need to do Your travel itinerary First, we need to ask that you send Sawa Kato [email: sawa@eubios.info] your travel itinerary (e-ticket) and the specific nights you need us to arrange accommodation for you. If you have not confirmed this yet, please advise when you will confirm this. This is important as someone will have to pay for those who suddenly decide they cannot come since the accommodation and catering is already being arranged. All communication should be through email, not through Facebook. This includes also news that you cannot come, or are unlikely to be able to come. If you cannot come this time, maybe someone else can take your spot, and you may have a chance to attend a future workshop. Visas You are responsible for arranging your own visa to enter Japan and any transit country. You should have received a formal invitation letter from the organizers, stating that your accommodation and food costs will be covered for the duration of the Forum through the payment of the registration fee. Please contact Sawa (sawa@eubios.info) if you have not received this letter. You are responsible for arranging your own travel insurance. You are required to leave the country as per your visa restrictions, and the period of time granted to persons from different countries varies. Casual clothes Please consider the climate and temperature, but dress casually. The faculty will not be wearing jackets nor ties, and neither do the trainees. There will be some outdoor activity, so comfortable walking shoes would be good. The hottest month in Sendai is August with an average temperature of 24C. Bring pyjamas since you will have to share a room with other persons (of the same gender unless otherwise requested on a case by case basis). Bring a small umbrella. Laptop If you have a laptop it will be useful to bring this. Note the electrical current is 100V, and plug is Japanese/US style. Plugs have 2 prongs (Type A). Bring an adaptor plug with you. Action Plans We would like all participants to develop an action plan for concrete activities, with a budget (and plans for fund raising), timeline, identified stakeholders, and objectives. Some of you already have been developing activities to look beyond disaster for a long time. Others have not. You may wish to develop an action plan together with persons from the same or different communities who are present or not present at the Forum.
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There will be a number of facilitators to help assist, in various types of activity. The formal highlight of the Forum will be presentation of action plans on the final day to some keynote listeners. Before that formal session there will be a chance for all to give feedback on proposed action plans that you develop with your new or old friends at the Forum. We will expect follow-up in your action plans, which we will place on the website of UNESCO Bangkok. Some participants may wish to display or briefly present an action plan that you have been involved in. Some participants may have been carrying out many activities without a formal action plan so this forum may allow them to think about how to describe what has been done, how to evaluate that, and what is planned to be done, in a written action plan. For others, it will be the first time to consider. In order to present an action plan and prepare a powerpoint presentation, you may wish to bring your laptop. There will also be a small group working on preparing the recommendations of the forum to UNESCO and other bodies. This group may also develop an action plan for its implementation. If you wish to join that drafting group please email to Darryl, d.macer@unesco.org. You are not allowed to use the UNESCO logo, all such letters must come from the secretariat. There are only a few specific persons able to use on approved action plans, as given express permission from Darryl Macer. Presentations There are some 10 minute slots in the programme for presentations. If you wish to be considered please submit an abstract to Darryl, d.macer@unesco.org Meals Breakfast, lunch and evening meal will be provided free of charge during the meeting days to those registered. Please let us know if you prefer vegetarian food and any other dietary restrictions. For some meals it will be buffet style. Money and fees Funds for travel to Sendai are not available, however we will be booking accommodation and arranging meals from the 15th evening to the 20th breakfast. The costs must be paid in Japanese Yen (JPY25,000 for non-students, JPY22,000 for university students, and JPY20,000 for high school students) on arrival to the secretariat (cash only). The currency exchanges at Sendai Airport or Sendai city have limited hours, so change before you arrive to Sendai. You can NOT use any foreign currency in Japan. For shopping credit cards are usually accepted, but not in some cheap restaurants. Food and shops The prices of goods and food in Japan varies greatly between shop, but economically priced food and many needs can be found at convenience stores usually open 24 hours a day, and these are widespread in Sendai. Tipping is not done in Japan (including for taxis). There is a shopping complex across the road from Espol Miyagi. Do not order food in a restaurant unless you know the price, and confirm the price before you order. Many reasonable restaurants are found on the top floor of department stores and they may display meals in
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plastic food models with price, so it is easy to choose. Public baths (separate by gender) In the main venue you will use a public bath. You should first take off your clothes in the changing room and then enter the bathing area. Since everyone will enter the same large bath, you should first wash yourself by the handhold showers before entering the bath. Not to take a towel into the bath. You can rent a towel for 100 yen and a bath towel for 200 yen. You can bring your own. Hygiene is very important in Japan, and you will be sharing a room with other people, so please wash yourselves properly. Purchase your own insurance We are unable to provide health or travel insurance. You should purchase travel insurance to cover this trip, since costs may be high if you have bad luck and you would have to stay to pay off your debts before immigration will let you leave from Japan.

2. Access to Sendai

Access from Sendai Airport to Sendai Train Station A train, Sendai Airport Transit, is available from the Sendai airport to JR Sendai Station. 2-3 buses per hour from 6 am to 11 pm. Cost: 630 yen.
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Taxi is expensive if you do not share it with other people. Sendai Airport website: http://www.sdj-airport.com/english/index.html We will investigate everyones schedule and may be able to offer a free bus at a certain time on 15th and on 20th. Access from Narita airport to Sendai station Plan1 If you use the Shinkansen (bullet train) ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
express from Narita airport. It costs 3110 yen. (A cheaper train, Keisei line goes to Ueno). For those taking the train, take the JR Narita

Tokyo JR Station

! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
Narita If you get the Airport limousine bus "If you ride on terminal 1 at Bus stop No.1 or No10 "If you ride on terminal 2 at Bus stop No.7 or No.17 (2900JPY) Shinkansen here. (One-way is 10,080 JPY. It takes two hoursand a half hours).

You catch the

Sendai JR station

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Airport

You can buy a ticket for youth (JR EAST Pass for youth is 16000 JPY, e.g. 4 days travel). For more information, see here http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/eastpass/. Plan2 If you use the Highway bus
Same way as Narita Airport above to Tokyo station You ride on JR Yamanote line JR Tokyo station Shinjyuku station (west exit of Shinjuku station) you ride on the Highway bus. Sendai Station

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You can book a seat of overnight bus from Tokyo to Sendai. http://willerexpress.com/bus/pc/3/top/?mid=264 Bus from Other cities to Sendai city: http://willerexpress.com/bus/pc/3/top/ For further details, see on: http://www.japanican.com/special/sendai_info/index.aspx

Please note that these prices are subject to change without notice so bring extra cash. You can use credit card in the JR ticket office for train tickets. We will NOT be responsible for transportation to/from the airports. Take these prices as an ESTIMATE of how much you have to pay for your trip to Japan. If you are travelling from further places in Japan besides Narita-Sendai please consider a one week JR Pass, which must be purchased before you arrive (also available for two or three weeks), as these may be cheaper than the simple JR ticket. The price of a one week JR Pass is about the same as the cost of JR tickets from Narita-Tokyo-Sendai return.
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For more information, see here or http://www.japan-rail-pass.com/train-japon/?ap=j0095g. We will investigate everyones schedule and may be able to offer a free bus pick-up at a certain time on 15th and on 20th from JR Sendai to the venue. 3. Accommodation Accommodation (From 15th to 19th August) Main venue: Espol Miyagi #Miyagi Youth Center, $%&'()*+, 4-5-1, Saiwaicho, Miyagino-ku, Sendai-shi, Miyagi (-./012-.3456789:!;) Tel. 022-293-4631 http://www.seinenkaikan.or.jp/#only Japanese, It takes about 15 minutes from the East gate of the Sendai Station by taxi and costs about 2500 yen. You can get on a bus at the No. 18 bus stop in front of the Sendai Station and get off the bus shop Hoken Kankyo Center seinen kaikan mae (<=>?@AB'CDEFG). All buses stop at the bus stop. It takes 25 minutes and costs 220 yen.

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West gate

On this map the train lines are marked, with Espol Miyagi as the red square. The bottom left station is Sendai JR station (where you get off the Shinkansen, and take a bus). [The closest train station to Espol Miyagi is Higashi-Sendai.] On the map below Espol Miyagi is labeled as Miyagi Pref. Seinen-kaikan. "

The 15th August is a national holiday so that Tokyo and Sendai will be crowded. Please do not get lost. Please always leave your name on the master list if you go for a walk so people know where you are. Most people in Japan are friendly and will help you, so if you get lost please ask anyone so you do not get on the wrong train or bus. If you got lost, please call Sawa (090-7473-2498). Only 82 people can stay at the main venue. We will tell the information of another accommodation to those who stay there later. We will be giving first priority to those who confirm their schedules first. We will be having some assistance in detailed arrangements so you will later get some emails from other persons. Reasonable Accommodations before 15th and after 19th August
Ryokan Chitoseya (HF! IJKL) 6-3-8, Odawaracho, Aoba-ku, Sendai-shi (012CM4NOP 6 89QRS)

Tel: 022-265-7551
http://www.ryokanchitoseya.co.jp/english/index.html#English homepage,

Please obey all the laws of Japan, and you will have a fun time. [UNESCO Web]
http://www.unescobkk.org/en/rushsap/newsdetails/article/call-for-participation-unesco-youth-forum/

[Facebook]
http://www.facebook.com/events/350255841688293/

Date of this update 28 June 2012.