Book your hotel for the conference now!

In order to ensure that you will have a room in Helsinki during the conference we would advice you to book your hotel now. The easiest way to book the hotel is through our website http://www.iias2009.fi/ by the 31st May! After that you may book the room through Helsinki Experts service (there will be a link at our website) or directly from the hotels.





Tuesday we took a tour around the conference venue to check once more how we would place the different sessions in the different rooms. We were also doing some "customer journey mapping" in order to assure that we know how to place the direction signs for the participants to find their way around Helsinki university. Tuesday the other guests at the university were slightly more dignified than us as it happened that the secretary general of the United Nations Mr Ban Ki-moon was also visiting.

As this evening is nice and sunny we thought what better than a walk around the city. It is an excellent way also for visitors to get to know Helsinki. If you want to plan tour walk and take a route that is designed especially for visitors you may want to take a look at the guide "See Helsinki on Foot - 7 routes around the city" http://www.visithelsinki.fi/In_English/Visitor.iw3 .
As the university main building is by the Senate Square you might be interested in Route number one of the guide "Senate Square and its surroundings".

Johanna and Katju

At your service

Today we held a briefing for the volonteer staff from the different departmentst and units of the Ministry of Finance who will be assisting the IIAS Hselsinki conference participants during the conference in July. Whether you are a speaker, presenting a paper, a panelist or a conference participant we will do our very best to serve you. You will recognize us assistants from the green scarfs or ties we are wearing.

You will of course be provided information about the conference and Helsinki at the conference venue as well as already on the website (www.iias2009.fi) , but you can also always turn to the assistants to ask for further information on anything you wish to know. And please remember that we are already at your disposal at iias2009@vm.fi for any questions you have before the conference.

It is today over 20 c in Helsinki, the sun is shining and the summer has begun. This is also the last week for the pupils and students before summer vacations start. And in a months time we hope to see you in Helsinki - you are warmly welcome!

Katju

Greetings from the local IIAS2009 team

The organising team of the IIAS2009 in Helsinki has started a blog where we will try to keep you updated on the latest preparations of the conference in July.

At the moment we are working especially on the event that the IIAS local team will organise at the Esplanade Park on the 7th of July starting at 12.00 o'clock. This event will include music and a story that will evolve from the theme "Building Trust - Hear my Part of the Story" , where various aspects of nation-building will be addressed by different actors of the Finnish society.

This new blog will be kept by the local team members of the IIAS2009 conference. You will be hearing from many of us during the coming weeks.

See you in Helsinki!

Katju and Johanna

www.iias2009.fi