About
Information note for participants - The political economy of social protection in developing countries

Presentation schedule

Each presentation will be allocated 30 minutes, including discussion. Presenters should bring their presentations in power point or pdf format on a USB stick.

Transportation from airport to Hotel

Benito Juárez International Airport is the closest to the City http://www.aicm.com.mx/en/. The journey from the airport to the hotel takes around 15 minutes but could take an hour or more depending on the traffic (peak times).

To get from the airport to the hotel please use only the cab companies authorized by the Mexico City’s International Airport (AICM): which are:

• Taxi Sitio 300: http://www.taxistasagremiados.com.mx/
• Executive Porto Taxis, S.C.
• Taxis Yellow Cab Aeropuerto: http://www.yellowcab.com.mx/
• Taxis Confort

We recommend you purchase a prepaid taxi ticket inside the airport. The authorized taxi stands at the airport have ‘Transporte Terrestre’ kiosks where you can buy a ticket to your destination, and then proceed outside to the taxi line to catch the taxi. DO NOT pay attention to touts or walk across the street to pick up unaffiliated taxis.

Hotel accommodation

Hotel accommodation has been made for participants at:

Hilton Mexico City Reforma
Av. Juarez #70. Colonia Centro
Mexico City, Distrito Federal
06010, Mexico
Tel. +52 55 5130 5300
Fax +52 55 5130 5255
Check in time: 15:00 hrs
Check out time: 12:00 hrs

Symposium venue

The Symposium will be held at the same hotel where participants are staying (see address above). The meeting room is Don Julian located in the 4th floor.

Travel

It is recommended you arrive in Mexico City at the latest by the evening of Sunday 7 February 2016, and plan to depart on Wednesday 10 February evening at the earliest, depending on flight availability. You will be provided with a roundtrip air ticket to Mexico in accordance with United Nations University travel guidelines. No air tickets should be purchased by the travellers themselves unless prior authorization has been received from UNU-WIDER. Tickets purchased without prior authorization may not be reimbursed by UNU-WIDER.

Visa

Please check promptly with the Mexican Embassy in your area whether you need a visa. Should you have difficulty obtaining a visa let us know immediately. UNU-WIDER will reimburse the cost of visa(s); please retain the original receipts for this purpose. Should you need to incur any additional expenses related to your visa application (courier charges, travel costs for visa interview, etc.), please check first with UNU-WIDER for further guidance and prior authorization of these amounts.

Insurance

Provided that you have a valid individual consultancy contract (not an institutional contract) with UNU-WIDER, UNU-WIDER will arrange at no expense to you a medical insurance policy for the official duration of your travel. This insurance does not cover personal belongings, such as luggage.

If you do not have an individual consultancy contract with UNU-WIDER, please arrange your own insurance coverage.

Disclaimer: The United Nations University disclaims all responsibility for medical, accident and travel insurance, for compensation for death or disability, for loss of, or damage to, personal property and for any other loss that may be incurred during travel time or the period of participation. In this context, it is strongly recommended to secure, prior to departure, international medical insurance for the period of participation in the meeting.

Vaccinations

Please check with your nearest Health Centre any vaccinations you may need.

Lump sum payment for expenses

Participants authorized to receive UNU-WIDER travel funding, will be offered a lump sum payment to cover travel expenses, including transportation to and from airports. Please bring with you to the Symposium the original boarding passes, any visa related receipts/invoices and your passport. Our UNU-WIDER staff representative Ms Tzitzi Caldera will provide you with an F.10 form for your signature. Ms Caldera will be located in the room: Don Emiliano (located in the 4th floor) during breaks.

Meals

All conference participants will be provided with lunches on the days of the event and dinner on Monday 8 February. Breakfasts are included. All these meals will be provided by the Hotel.

Breakfast will be held in Restaurant Los Dones. Lunches and dinner will take place at Doña Sol (right beside Don Julian).

Any remaining meals should be covered by the participants.

Here are some restaurants you may like to try for the remainder of your stay:

Azul Historico, Isabel la católica No. 30 (Mexican)
Café de Tacuba, Tacuba No. 28 (Mexican)
Los Girasoles, Tacuba No. 8 (Mexican)
Limosneros, Allende No. 3 (Mexican)
Mercaderes, Av. 5 de Mayo No. 57 (International)
Gino’s, Independencia esq. Luis Moya (Italian)
La Opera, 5 De Mayo No. 10 (International)
El Danubio, Uruguay No. 3 (Spanish)

Weather

February is a winter month in Mexico City and the weather around the time of the meeting could be changeable, with temperatures ranging from 6 °C to 20 °C.

Security recommendations

It is advisable for all visitors to be alert and take basic security measures. It is highly recommended to use only taxis from the authorized taxi stands known as Taxi Sitio at the airport and throughout the city, ask hotel administration for authorized hotel taxis. Please do not take an unauthorized taxi. Avoid if possible ATM transactions in external machines especially during the night or in lonely locations. Preferably carryout ATM transactions within banks. It is advisable to keep important things like personal identification, valuable items and money in a safe place.