Wikimania 2009/Bids/Kathmandu

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Questions and Answers:
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Kathmandu, Nepal- Wikimania Candidate City, 2009

City details

Country: Nepal
City proposed: Kathmandu
Proposed dates: 31st July to 2nd August 2009
Contact person(s):

Kathmandu is the capital and the largest city of Nepal. The city is situated in Kathmandu Valley that also contains two other cities - Patan and Bhaktapur. Nepali is the main language of the valley and is the most widely spoken language. English is also widely understood. The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,300 m and is inhabited by about 0.8 million people. Kathmandu is located at 27°23′N, 85°22′E. It is one of the most developed cities in Nepal with most active markets.

Sister cities

Kathmandu on Wikipedia

Conference venue

[[|thumb|right|Main building of BICC, the main building of BICC from the front view]] The conference venue will be Birendra International Convention Centre(BICC). Birendra International Convention Centre(BICC) has been designed to ensure concentration on the days proceeding with a selection of sound proof halls, a fully staffed reception and massive auditorium which surprises most by its discrete yet powerful presence.

Location: Located at new Baneshwor, Kathmandu at 14m wide road on the way to international Airport.Close to Tribhuvan International Airport in the east (3 km) and the city centre (west) at same distance. [[|thumb|right|Main hall of BICC, the main hall (Sagarmatha hall)of BICC viewed from the stage]]

Brief description of venue (room sizes, number of rooms etc.)

1. Main hall: Sagarmatha Hall

- Features of the Main Hall:
  - 360 seats for representative of 80 countries
  - 166 seats for observers
  - 478 seats in the gallery
  - 30m x 16m stage area
  - Simultaneous interpretation system of 6 languages.
  - Voting and impomptu speech system are offered.
  - Appropirate for conference, theatrical performance and movies

2. Seminar rooms: Birendra International Convention Centre (BICC) Halls:

Lohtse Hall,
Nuptse Hall,
Gauri Hall,
Shankar Hall,
Gandaki Hall,
Koshi Hall,
Skylight Area,
Kailash Hall

3. Lounge facilities: 4. Other rooms (organisation, staff, speakers, interviews/press, storage):

Socializing areas (Garden, lounge etc.), their capacity and the hours at which they are opened/closed:
Contacts with conference venue (emails, price quotes etc.)

Technical facilities
- Existing technical installations
  (on site Audio-visual...)
- Wireless Network implementation

(existing? to be built? easiness of implementation?)

Accommodation

Location of main accommodation facilities

(where can the attendees be hosted. On site, off site, how far from conference venue? For attendees? For VIPs?)

Room details and price range

(What's the accommodation like? Dorms, B&B, Hotel? Singles, doubles? How much does it cost per person and per day?)

Catering (one meal a day, breakfast is a plus)

(Where do we eat, how much it costs)

Contacts with accommodation partner(s)

(Have you contacted the proposed locations, exchange of emails, price quotes etc.)

Party opportunities

Wikimania traditionally hosts two parties, one for attendees (capacity of 250-350) and one for sponsors and VIPs (capacity 40-60).

Attendees party(ies) propositions

(location, how to get there, what's cool and relaxed about it)

Sponsor party(ies) proposition

(location, how to get there, what's chic and high profile about it)

Travel and transportation

Estimation of travel costs from all continents:
Distance from international airport(s)and how do we get to the location:
Local transportation and local social opportunities

(Wikimania usually does not offer dinner. What are the surroundings of the location like? Lots of restaurants and places to hang out? What is the local transportation like?)

Visa issues

(who needs a visa, how easy is it to obtain it)

Tourism opportunities

(when people travel from far away, they like to come for more than just the conference. What are the tourism opportunities around the location?)

Local sponsorship opportunities

Possibility of local sponsorships

Contacts

(no name needed, just "company X, 4000 USD or will provide 300 beds)

Local team

The local chapeter of Wikimedia for Nepal is in the process of being formed.This team will be behind this bid. Wikimedia Nepal is becoming a private non-profit association, governed by the regulations of the local Nepalese laws, in process to be approved as Wikimedia Foundation local chapter.

Contact has already been established with other groups of people from the free software/culture movement in Nepal.

Miscellaneous

Anything you feel should be brought to the attention of the jury.

Self-evaluation

Weaknesses of the proposed location ...and how to overcome those weaknesses

Weakness 1
Solution 1
Weakness 2
Solution 2

Strengths of the proposed location

Strength 1
Strength 2

Gallery

Bhairava sculpture, Durbar Square market place 1972.
Small stupa in Kathmandu
Stone carving in Kathmandu street
A seller warming himself up in Durbar Square, Kathmandu, Nepal (pre-prohibition)
Boudnanath Stupa in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, Nepal
Pedicab driver in Kathmandu near Durbar Square
Two Sadhus, or Hindu Holy Men, near Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu.
Two girls seeking shadow on Bodnath Temple.