BRAGA 2016 | EURO-IBERO-AMERICAN YOUTH FORUM

FAQFrequently Asked Questions

& Their Answers

BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONSBRAGA 2016 | EURO-IBERO-AMERICAN YOUTH FORUM

Images by: Aleksey Prylipka, Associação Comercial de Braga,

Freepik, Free Vector Maps, Joana Gordinho and Olena Yermakova

Published by:Associação Portuguesa do Parlamento Europeu dos

Jovens/European Youth Parliament PortugalRua Dona Antónia Augusta de Sousa, 63, 4460-665 Custóias, Matosinhos, Portugal

geral@pejportugal.com · facebook.com/EYPPortugal

BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

MY ROLE AT THE FORUM

• What will I do as a Delegate?

• When can I choose my Committee?

• What can I start researching?

• Is it all work and no fun?

TRAVEL INFORMATION

• Do I need a Visa?

• Do I need travel insurance?

• How can I book extra nights?

• What do I do once I land in Portugal?

THE PROGRAMME

• Is there an official programme, yet?

• Can I leave the Forum when I want?

ACCOMMODATION

• Where will I be staying?

• What will be provided?

WHAT IS (NOT) INCLUDED

• What does the participation fee cover?

• Will I need to bring or pay for any-

thing else?

• How much money should I bring?

PROOF OF PARTICIPATION

• Can I get a Declaration of Selection?

• Will I get a Certificate of Participation?

NEXT STEPS

• What should I do next?

• When will I get more information?

• What else will I need to do until the

Forum?

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

MY ROLE AT THE FORUM

What will I do as a Delegate?

The Delegates will play a key role at the Forum, researching facts, debat-ing problems and proposing solutions to the various Committee Topics, all of which will be subordinated to the umbrella theme ‘Sustainable Develop-ment: Intercontinental Partnerships for People, Planet and Prosperity’.

As with all our events, we will be fol-lowing the EYP Method. This means that, at the beginning of the Forum, each Committee will go through two days of Team Building to refine their working methods. Over the next two days, during Committee Work, each Committee will be tasked with creat-ing a motion for resolution on a spe-cific topic. Over the last two days of the Forum, all ten motions for resolutions will be presented, debated and voted at the General Assembly.

In addition to these three core elements, you will also have the chance to take part in a rich cultural programme filled with a series of activities designed to enhance your experience at Braga 2016.

When can I choose my Committee?

The Committe Topics are currently be-ing finalised by the Board of the Forum, together with the Head-organisers and the Board of the EYP Portugal. Once we have them set, we will be allocat-ing a Chairperson (an experienced EYP alumnus/a that will guide you through this proccess) to each of them, who will, from that point on, be responsible for writing what we call a Committee Topic Overview.

Even before that, in early June, you will receive an e-mail with the full list of Committee Topics, each accompanied by a short explanatory paragraph.

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You will then have some days to reply with your top-five preferences, and get your Committee allocation accord-ing to those. Please note that, depend-ing on the preferences submitted by all the Delegates, it may not be possible to allocate you to your highest preference. Rest assured, though, that we will do our best to achieve a balanced distribution.

At this point, we cannot yet guarantee a date for the final allocations to be com-pleted, but we estimate that you should know your Committee by the end of June.

What can I start researching?

By the time (or shortly after) you get your Committee allocation, you will also receive the Academic Preparation Kit. This is a document that will com-pile the Topic Overviews for each of the ten Committees, which you should read very carefully and use as your base for

all of them... and especially for the one you will be working with directly.

Already at this stage, however, you are very much encouraged to start your own research about the Sustainable Devel-opment Goals and the 2030 Agenda.

Is it all work and no fun?

Absolutely not! As we have mentioned previously, the six-day programme is also packed with cultural and socialising activities, which will take place every evening. Commemorating Braga as the Ibero-American Youth Capital in 2016, and in accordance with our traditions at the EYP Portugal, regional and national cultures will be presented to the partic-ipants and celebrated at dinners, cere-monies and parties.

More information about this will be made available soon.

BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

TRAVEL INFORMATION

Do I need a Visa?

That will depend on where you come from. For a list of the countries whose nationals require a Visa to enter Por-tugal, you should check the Travel Guide, under ‘Documents’.

If you do require a Visa, remember to write us with all the necessary infor-mation so that we can process it as soon as possible.

Do I need travel insurance?

Yes, all participants of the Forum must have insurance covering accidents, sickness, medical fees, repatriation and personal/civil liability.

Once you have purchased your in-surance policy, make sure to insert all relevant details in the Travel Form. Also, please remember to bring the insurance card with you to the Forum. If your insurance company does not issue a card, then you can bring your signed policy papers instead.

How can I book extra nights?

When filling in the Travel Form, you will be asked to indicate how many extra nights you will need. As we have mentioned, these will have to be cov-ered by you, but the Participant Sup-port & Transport Team will be happy to assist you in making your bookings.

Ideally, we recommend that you spend the night of Sunday, the 21st of August already in Braga, so that you can ar-rive at the meeting point (Lloyd Braga University Residence) by no later than 09:00 AM on Monday, the 22nd.

Wherever you stay, before and after the Forum, please make sure to have that information in mind when apply-ing for a Visa.

What do I do once I land in Portugal?

Depending on where you land, you will have different options on how to make your way to Braga. For a comprehen-sive list and more detailed informa-tion, please check the Travel Guide un-der ‘Making your way to Braga’.

Also, we ask that you save the follow-ing telephone numbers; should some-thing turn out unexpectedly, calling us will always be your best option.

ANA NUNESHEAD-ORGANISER

00351 919 135 310

RITA FERREIRAHEAD-ORGANISER

00351 916 916 436

ANA CERQUEIRAPARTICIPANT SUPPORT

00351 912 904 250

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

THE PROGRAMME

Is there an official programme, yet?

The Programme is currently being fi-nalised. In early June, together with the Welcome Booklet, we will send you a provisional version. That version may still suffer some small changes, but the core elements of the Forum and their distribution throughout the various days will remain the same.

In that Welcome Booklet, you will also learn more about what each of the programme elements entails, includ-ing what will be expected of you during each and some more information on how to prepare for them.

Can I leave the Forum when I want?

No. Just like all other participants of the Forum, you, as a Delegate, are ex-pected to attend the programme in full. In practice, this means that, from the moment you check in on the 22nd of August and until you check out on the 28th, we will all follow the same schedules.

The reason for this is simple: as you may have realised by now, managing the logistics of a six-day event for 170 people is not an easy task. Addition-ally, we know from experience that you will get the most out of the EYP Method and the many opportunities for intercultural exchange only when you fully emerse yourself in it.

ACCOMMODATION

Where will I be staying?

All the participants of Braga 2016 will be staying at Lloyd Braga Universi-ty Residence, which is located in the Gualtar Campus of the University of Minho, one of the largest in Portugal.

Just like everyone else, you will share a double room with someone of the same gender. All rooms feature a pri-vate bathroom, as well as bath tow-els, bed sheets and a small fridge. The whole building has access to free Wi-Fi, so you will be able to stay connect-ed and share all the amazing experi-ences you will live at Braga 2016!

What will be provided?

As previously mentioned, each room is equipped with bath towels, bed sheets and a small fridge. Toiletries, medicine and any other personal items you may need will have to be brought by you.

As you will surely bring electronic de-vices and their power cords, please bear in mind that, depending on where you come from, you may require a current adapter. In Portugal, electric current is provided in 230 V at 50 Hz and through type F sockets. For more information, see here.

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What does the participation fee cover?

The € 120 participation fee you have paid covers all expenses with accom-modation, working materials, trans-fers and meals.

As far as meals go, we will provide you with breakfast, lunch and dinner every day between the 22nd (break-fast excluded) and the 28th of August (only breakfast included). Additional-ly, every day, there will be a series of coffee-breaks to make sure you never run out of energy.

Will I need to bring or pay for any-thing else?

Yes. All participants are responsible for covering their travel costs to and from Braga. The same goes for any extra nights’ accommodation you may need, as well as any other personal expenses you make.

Other than that, you will be expected to pay for one dinner, which will cost between € 10 and € 15. As we work to finalise the programme, we will keep you informed of whether there is any-thing else you will need to bring.

How much money should I bring?

Exactly how much money you should bring will depend on your expected personal expenses: extra nights and meals during your stay outside of the programme, as well as any purchases you wish to make will have to be cov-ered by you.

You can read more about living costs in Portugal here, so you can set your budget according to what you are ex-pecting to buy and pay for.

WHAT IS (NOT) INCLUDED

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I get a Declaration of Selection?

Absolutely! If you need a Declaration of Selection for university or work purposes, simply get in touch with the Participant Support Team and pro-vide them with your full name and the official name of your university or workplace.

If you need a Declaration of Selection for different purposes (e.g., to help you look for financial support for your participation expenses1), in addition to the aforementioned elements, please be sure to specify exactly what infor-mation you would like us to include.

Will I get a Certificate of Participation?

Of course! Following the event, all participants will receive a Certificate of Participation. This will be sent to you via e-mail so that you can attach it to your CV or print it out.

NEXT STEPS

What should I do next?

First of all, we ask that you fill in the Registration Form for which you need to provide us with some per-sonal data. Naturally, all of these data will only be used for logistical purposes and we will never disclose them to any third parties.

Secondly, please remember to take care of all necessary documentation: pass-ports and/or national ID, university card and/or declaration of enrolment, insurance card and/or a signed copy of your insurance policy, and, should you need one, your Visa request; all of these will have to be ready by the time you book your travels, which we high-ly recommend that you do as soon as

PROOF OF PARTICIPATION

1 Please note that the EYP Portugal and the team of Braga 2016 cannot procure these funds for you. As stated, we will happily provide you with a dec-laration, but you will be responsible for pursuing any fundraising efforts on your own.

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

possible, and by no later than the 20th of June – that is the deadline to fill in the Travel Form.

Also, we remind you that you should check your e-mail inbox regularly; all official communications from us will be sent to the e-mail address that you have provided us with. To make things easier, though, we will soon be e-mailing you a link to a Facebook Group where you will not only have the chance to start familiarising your-self with the many faces you will be meeting at the Forum, but also get in touch with the other Delegates from your country and, should you so wish, arrange your travels together.

Finally, we once again encourage you to start preparing for the academic side of things, too. To that end, please make sure to read up on the Sustain-able Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. This will help you become more familiar with the umbrella theme of Braga 2016, which, in turn, will make it easier for you to choose a Committee Topic you are truly interested in.

When will I get more information?

As has been the case until now, we will always get in touch with you whenever there is new information. On that note, we can already tell you that the next ‘big document’ we will send you will be a very comprehensive Welcome Booklet.

In that document, in addition to wel-come words from the Head-organ-isers and the President of the Forum, you will find more information about the EYP (both internationally and in Portugal), an overview of Braga 2016 (including a longer explanation of the umbrella theme of the Forum and of the 25th Ibero-American Summit of Heads of State and Government), the Committee Topics and their explan-atory paragraphs, the Provisional Programme and a look at its various moments (including your role and ex-pected dress codes in all of them) and, finally, a section with legal notes to be observed during your stay.

Later on, after you have been allocat-ed to a Committee, you will receive the

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BRAGA 2016 – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Academic Preparation Kit. In it, you will find resources to not only kick-start your own research on the Euro-Ibe-ro-American legislative framework, but also on each of the Committee Topics, with the help of Topic Over-views written by the Chairpersons.

Even closer to the Forum, you will re-ceive the last ‘big document’, the Infor-mation Booklet, with the final details on the Programme, Forum moments and venues, the Officials’ Team and a check-list for you to review before we meet.

What else will I need to do until the Forum?

Until the Forum, we encourage you to remain engaged and curious about this great experience! To facilitate our communication, keep an eye on your e-mail inbox and, when required, please reply to all the tasks and ques-tions, and/or fill in the forms that we will be sending you.

Just like this time, we ask that you read all documents very carefully. They are

put together to provide you with con-text, details and guidance; if every Delegate reads them, then we are cer-tain that everyone will have an even better time at the Forum! Still, should you have any questions after that, then please feel free to get in touch with the Participant Support Team.

Will I have any further preparation tasks?

All tasks related to the organisation-al aspects of your participation have already been mentioned in this doc-ument and in the Travel Guide that we sent you already some days ago.

From an academic perspective, in ad-dition to the research you will conducton your own, you may be required to fulfil further assignments. This will depend on your Committee Topic and, especially, on how your Chairperson decides to structure the pre-Forum preparation. All of these tasks will be communicated to you directly by yourChairperson at a later stage, so be sureto keep an eye on your e-mail inbox.

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