ELEVENTH UNITED NATIONS CONGRESS ON CRIME PREVENTION AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE,

BANGKOK, THAILAND 18 - 25 APRIL

 

(Reissued as received.)

VIENNA, 12 April (UN Information Service) -- The Eleventh United Nations Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, hosted by the Government of Thailand, will take place in Bangkok, from 18 to 25 April 2005.  The meetings will be held at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, beginning each day at 10 a.m.

Due to the relevance of the issues discussed at the Congress –- effective measures to combat transnational organized crime; international cooperation against terrorism and links between terrorism and other criminal activities in the context of the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC); corruption:  threats and trends in the twenty-first century; economic and financial crimes:  challenges to sustainable development; making standards work:  50 years of standard-setting in crime prevention and criminal justice -– the week-long conference is going to be an attractive one for the media.

There will also be a high-level segment, held during the last three days of the Congress, from 23 to 25 April, where heads of State or government, ministers and other high-level government representatives will address the main agenda items of the Congress.  On the occasion of this special treaty event, States will also be able to deposit instruments of ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its three Protocols, as well as the four multilateral instruments against terrorism deposited with the Secretary-General.

Media Accreditation

From Friday, 15 April, 10 a.m., press passes for pre-accredited journalists will be issued at the Press Registration Counter in Hall A at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre upon presentation of two forms of photo ID (passport, official national press pass, drivers license, work ID, etc.).

For on-site accreditation -- after 15 April -- please go to the Press Registration Counter, and make sure you bring a letter of assignment and a valid press card along with two forms of photo ID.

Note:  Each member of the press accompanying a head of State, government or delegation are also required to apply for accreditation and pick up their passes at the press registration counter.  Journalists accredited to cover the eleventh Crime Congress must make their own flight, visa and hotel reservations.

For questions regarding accreditation, please contact Veronika Crowe-Mayerhofer at e-mail:  veronika.crowe-mayerhofer@unvienna.org or tel.:  +43-699-1459-3342.

Regular United Nations media facilities will be available during the Congress, including a press working area and a press briefing room.

Media Centre

There will be a press working area on the Ground Floor/Zone C of the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, equipped with complete working stations and Internet access.  Payable PTT services will be provided for the use of the media only, including local and international telephone and fax lines, audio modem connections and photocopying machines.  The Media Centre will open on Sunday, 17 April 2005, at 10 a.m. and will be operating on a 24-hour basis.

The Press Briefing Room will be located in Boardroom 4.  Interpretation to/from Thai to/from English will be available throughout the Congress proceedings in the Plenary and in the press briefing room.

The Radio and TV Interview Room will be located in Boardroom 5.  An outdoor interviewing position will also be available.

Meetings Coverage

The United Nations will provide press release coverage in English and French of select Plenary and Committee meetings.  Press releases may be obtained at the Press Documents Distribution Counter next to the Media Centre.

Closed Circuit TV will be available in the Media Centre, Press Briefing Room and at the Press Documents Distribution Counter.

For further queries concerning the distribution of press releases and other information material, please contact Jaya Mohan at e-mail:  jaya.mohan@unvienna.org or tel.:  +43-699-1459-4448.

Live Webcasting/Official Web Site

Live Webcasting and daily highlights will be available at http://www.un.org/events/11thcongress, the official Congress Web site, which will provide information in all six official United Nations languages:  Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.

Entry and Screening Procedures

All media representatives are advised to arrive early to allow sufficient time for security screening.

Visual Coverage in Meeting Rooms

Television crews and photographers will be escorted to the meeting rooms before the start of the meeting.  Platforms for TV cameras will be provided.  Radio and TV studios will also be available.

The following media events will take place at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre:

Opening Press Briefing

Monday, 18 April 2005, 1:10 p.m., at the Press Briefing Room, Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director, UNODC, will brief the media on the activities and agenda of the Crime Congress.

Regular press briefings held by Nasra Hassan, Spokesperson, UNODC, will be organized on an ad hoc basis with details announced daily.

Press Conferences

Heads of State, government and delegation or senior United Nations officials may hold press conferences.  The list will be announced daily.  Thai high-ranking officials will hold daily press conferences at 4:30 p.m.

Interviews

For interview requests with UNODC experts, please contact Nasra Hassan, Spokesperson, UNODC, at e-mail:  nasra.hassan@unvienna.org or tel.:  +43-699-1459-5676, with copy to Sasa Gorisek, Media Liaison Officer, UNIS Vienna, at e-mail:  sasa.gorisek@unvienna.org or tel.:  +43-699-1459-3348.  For interview requests with Antonio Maria Costa, Executive Director, UNODC, please contact Kathleen Millar, Speechwriter/Deputy Spokesperson, UNODC, at e-mail:  kathleen.millar@unodc.org or tel.:  +43-699-1459-5629.  For all media-related queries and updates on press events, please contact Sasa Gorisek, Media Liaison Officer, UNIS Vienna, at e-mail:  sasa.gorisek@unvienna.org or tel.:  +43-699-1459-3348.

For additional information and to download the press kit, please visit:  www.unis.unvienna.org.  For further information on UNODC:  www.unodc.org.  Host country Web site for the eleventh Crime Congress (Thailand): www.11uncongress.org.  United Nations Information Service Vienna (UNIS), P.O. Box 500, A-1400 Vienna, Austria, tel.: (+43-1) 26060 4666, fax:  (+43-1) 26060 5899.  E-mail: UNIS@unvienna.org.  Visit our home page: www.unis.unvienna.org.

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