June 2^nd, 1999

Dear friends and colleagues,

we are all looking forward to welcoming you in Italy; in fact, from today it is less than seven weeks before the Olympiad start. I have the pleasure to notify you that 66 countries have accepted the invitation of the Italian Minister of Education: 62 have stated they will send a team and Armenia, Brazil, Pakistan and Uzbekistan will send an observer. Italy and the city of Padua are proud to host during XXX edition so many people and youngsters from over the world, united by friendship and by their like-minded interest in science. We will have many opportunities to visit the most important places of art and science situated in the region where you will be staying and also to meet the people who live in Padua and the Italian colleagues, who are, like us, interested in the development of the youngsters’ scientific education.

This circular will be sent to all the contact people of each participating Country via e-mail and it aims at getting all the necessary information about each person in each delegation. You are kindly requested to send the information required in the following forms by June 15^th. We have fixed June 15^th as the deadline because some delegations have written to inform us that they will not know their students’ names before this date. But please consider that if you don’t send the required information within this time there might be some difficulty concerning the accommodation of your delegation.

The leaders will be accommodated in single rooms sharing a bathroom between two people. The ones who are going to come with their spouse or partner are kindly asked to tell us if they wish to share communicating rooms, so that we can organize the distribution of the accommodation in the best possible way.

The organizing committee of the XXX IPhO have much appreciated those Countries who have understood the organizing needs of the Olympiad and for this reason have been able to ensure their financial contribute with a voluntary quota. This enables us to rely on sufficient funds for carrying out the XXX IPhO. Some of you have mentioned that they have some difficulty in making their payment through the bank and they think it necessary to pay their quota in cash in Padua. In these cases the quota, in US$, will be able to be paid on your arrival in Padua at the secretary office which will be set up at the leader’s home.

A lot of information has already been sent through the previous circulars. The text of all the previous circulars can be found on the "mail" page of our web site, at the address:

http://mac88d.ts.infn.it/Olifis/welcome.htm

http://www.pd.infn.it/Olifis/welcome.htm

In the web site there is all the information about the XXX IPhO updated from time to time.

EARLY ARRIVALS AND LATE DEPARTURES

The accommodation places of the XXX IPhO are at the disposal of the delegations from July 18^th to July 27^th. Staying on in Italy outside this period will be at the participants’ expenses. If you need any help to find a hotel accommodation let us know. We will be glad to collaborate in order to make your stay in Italy pleasant. You can also directly contact the agency "ZIP Viaggi" (see circular n.2).The agency can be contacted via fax:

ZIP fax number: +39-049-761287

or via e-mail:

ZIP travel agency e-mail address: info@zipviaggi.com

On July 18^th there will be a special service from Venice "Marco Polo" airport to the various accommodations in Padua and a similar service will be provided on July 27^th to go to the airport. For those arriving by train, too, on the 18^th and for those leaving by train on the 27^th there will be the transport laid on.

It may be of interest for those delegations which will arrive or leave on different dates that there is a coach scheduled service from Venice "Marco Polo" airport to Padua leaving every half an hour from 6.35 to 22.35. The cost of the ticket is 6000 Italian Liras (about 3.3 US$) and 1400 Italian Liras (about 0.8 US$) to carry the luggage. It takes about an hour from Venice airport to Padua.

COMPUTERS

Those who have not answered circular n.3 and who are not going to use an American or Italian keyboard for the translation are very strongly requested to fill in the form included in the circular n.3 and to send it back to us via e-mail as soon as possible. For those leaders bringing their own laptop: please install your Country drivers.

VISA

In circular n.2 we listed the Countries who do not need visa to enter Italy. The XXX IPhO office at the Italian Ministry of Education is at disposal of those delegations who need any assistance for their visa.

Please send your assistance request with the names, date of birth and passport numbers of all the people who will be part of the delegation.

You can send the request to our office in Padua, via e-mail, and we send it to the Italian Ministry of Education. Alternatively you can send your request via fax directly to the Ministry of Education in Rome addressing it to:

DR. MARIA GRAZIA BUSCEMA
MINISTERO DELLA PUBBLICA ISTRUZIONE
DIREZIONE GENERALE PER GLI SCAMBI CULTURALI
XXX INTERNATIONAL PHYSICS OLYMPIAD
fax number +39-06-5849-2804

CURRENCY

In almost all the shops it is possible to use credit cards but if you want to buy small objects in small craft shops or from market stalls (they are very common in Italy and generally offer interesting items at reasonable prices) it will be much easier to use Italian lira. For a dollar you will get about 1800 Italian liras: the charge is possible at any bank and you will find a change office on your arrival at the airport. Remember that banks in Italy are closed on Saturday and Sundays.

POSTER EXHIBITION

In order to encourage the exchange of information and of significant materials for the teaching of physics in high school we will place some spaces at your disposal where the participants can display posters or other materials. In the section of the exhibitions there is a space of 54 linear meters available to the delegations for displaying posters.

NEXT CONTACT

By the end of June you will be sent the programme in detail of the XXX IPhO and the last minute information.

Giuliana Cavaggioni

Please multicopy and fill out the following two forms. As a reply e-mail ONE FORM FOR EACH OF THE PARTICIPANTS to the XXX IPhO Office address olifis@no.sctrade.it.

Alternatively print it and fill it out with BLOCK LETTERS to fax it (+39-049-8277270).

 

COUNTRY:	__________________________________________________

STATUS:	__________________________________________________
	Leader / pedagogical leader / student number (1...5) / observer / visitor

NAME:	__________________________________________________
	In the order: first name - (second name) - family name

GENDER:	________________________________
	Female / male

BIRTHDAY (students only):	__________________________________
	Day - month - year

TELEPHONE IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:	_______________________________

LANGUAGE USED IN THE EXAMS:	_________________________________

SWEATER SIZE:	__________________________________________________
	Medium / large / extra large

DIET:	__________________________________________________
	Vegetarian / kosher food / not pork / other (please specify)

ANY FURTHER INFORMATION:	_____________________________________
	Illness / deficiency / allergy / other that organizer should know

ARRIVAL:	__________________________________________________
	By air / by train / flight number - day -month - year - hour - minute

DEPARTURE:	__________________________________________________
	By air / by train / flight number - day -month - year - hour - minute

NOTES:	__________________________________________________
	__________________________________________________

Please hand on this form at the XXX IPhO Office at your arrival in Padua.

I understand that my child may be exposed to various risks while participating in the XXX International Physics Olympiad in Padua, from July 18^th to July 27^th 1999.

I further waive all claims for liability or damages against the Italian Association for Physics Teaching (Associazione per l’Insegnamento della Fisica) relating to or arising out of my child’s participation in the XXX International Physics Olympiad.

NAME OF CHILD:____________________________________________

NATION OF CHILD:__________________________________________

PASSPORT NUMBER:__________________________________________  

Date, ___________________________

Signature
(the person taking responsibility for the minor)

_______________________________