Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2017/Guide

Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2017
Warsaw, Poland, September 22-25

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Welcome to Wikimedia CEE Meeting 2017 in Warsaw! On this page you will find some basic practical information regarding your stay in Warsaw and your participation in the conference. For more general information about travelling to Warsaw and to Poland, compiled by our team, please look here.

Conference information

Time frame

Constitution Square in Warsaw, where CEE Meeting 2017 will start at 4pm on September 22 (MDM Hotel is the building with Samsung ad)

The main conference programme starts on Friday, September 22, at 16:00 (4pm) at MDM Hotel. Optional GLAM activities will start at 13:00 at the National Museum of Ethnography. The main programme ends on Monday, September 25, with lunch at 15:00 (3pm) at MDM Hotel. This will be followed by optional GLAM activities around the Polin Museum building.

For detailed information on programme, look here.

Accommodation & meals

For grant-funded delegates, the conference scholarship covers three nights at MDM Hotel (from Friday to Monday) and all meals from dinner on Friday to lunch on Monday. The same coverage applies to self-funded delegates staying at MDM Hotel. Self-funded delegates staying at other hotels should have breakfast at their hotels, at their own expense. Lunches and dinners will be provided as a part of the programme.

Registration & Information Desks

Wikimedia Polska Registration & Information Desks will be staffed in the following time frames and places:

day	time	place
Friday, September 22	10:00 - 21:00	MDM Hotel
Saturday, September 23	9:00 - 20:00	Polin Museum
Sunday, September 24	9:00 - 18:00	Polin Museum
Monday, September 25	8:00 - 20:00	MDM Hotel

information e-mail: ceemeeting@wikimedia.pl
phone line for urgent assistance: +48 790 290 842

Conference badge

You can pick up your conference badge, which comes together with some CEE Meeting merchandise, at the Registration & Information Desk, starting from Friday morning. Please wear your conference bagde at all times while taking part in all of CEE Meeting's programme, including less formal evening events. Try not to lose it, but if you do, please visit the Information Desk as soon as possible.

Transfers

Three bus transfers will be provided free of charge. Those can be used by all delegates. The conference badges will serve as tickets. The three transfers are:

Saturday, 08:15: buses departing from MDM Hotel and going to Polin Museum
Saturday, 20:00: buses departing from Polin Museum and going to MDM Hotel
Sunday, 08:15: buses departing from MDM Hotel and going to Polin Museum

There will be two tourist buses (coaches) for each transfer. Buses will be marked with large letters RAF TRANS on their sides (that's the name of the company we're hiring the buses from). There will be WMPL team member at each bus. Please make sure to be there on time.

All other transfers should be cared for themselves by the delegates. We recommend you use the Warsaw public transport system, which is explained below.

Friendly space policy & security

Taking into account that civility and assuming good faith are core principles of the Wikimedia movement, Wikimedia Polska together with POLIN Museum expect all participants to abide to the Friendly Space Policy during all activities of CEE Meeting 2017.

One can report cases of harassment or other types of inappropriate or dangerous behaviour to dedicated members of the organizing team: Michał Buczyński and Małgorzata Wilk, or to registration desk.

Please note that Polin Museum is a high-security facility. This means that upon every entry to the Museum building, you will be asked to go through a metal detector and to have your bags scanned, just as on airport. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this and we ask you for your kind cooperation with the Museum security staff. There is no such security procedures in MDM hotel, however the entrance to the hotel is usually guarded discretely by one employee in uniform. This person can let you go unbothered or ask you a question about the reasons to enter the building. Just tell him that you are a participant of Wikimedia CEE Conference.

Smoking and drinking

Please note that, while buying both beer and stronger alcoholic drinks is extremely easy in Warsaw, Polish law does not allow public consumption of alcohol outdoors, except for designated places, such as restaurants, bars etc. Drinking in parks, on streets etc. may be subject to fine by police or municipal police. Smoking is generally allowed outdoors, but there are many exceptions to this, for example all public transport stations and stops. Please do not smoke inside any of the conference venues, including MDM Hotel. And just in case: all drugs, including marijuana, are totally illegal in Poland and if you get caught even with a small quantity, you may be temporarily detained and later summoned to court.

Internet access

Free internet access will be provided via wi-fi networks both at MDM Hotel and Polin Museum. If you wish to have your own access using one of Polish mobile networks, you can easily purchase a SIM card at most newsagents or even petrol stations. However, under current Polish anti-terrorism laws, each SIM card needs to be registered (you will be asked to show your passport or other ID) before it can be activated. Please bear in mind that if you're coming from any of the EU Members States, you won't be charged any extra by your operator for using roaming in Poland (that's thanks to the new EU roaming rules, which came into effect on 15 June this year). Some data transfer limits may apply, that's up to your home operator.

Traveling

Travels from Airports and Central Railways Station to MDM and Polin

From the Warsaw Chopin Airport (WAW) one can easily get to MDM hotel by City bus no 188, which has its stop near Courtyard by Marriot easily visible when you leave the Airport terminal. Getting to Polin Museum is a bit more tricky, as you have to take City bus no 175 and then switch to tram no 15 on Marszałkowska Street. Bus 175 has its stop just at the gates of airport terminal.

The Modlin Airport (WMI) is located outside Warsaw, but one can get to the centre quite comfortably on the Koleje Mazowieckie train (there is a bus shuttle to the nearby train station) running approximately once every hour. Another option is a bus to the centre of Warsaw (ModlinBus). Both journey options take a little over an hour. In both cases you will land on Central Railways Station.

From Central Railways Station - which is very complicated, partially underground communication hub - one can get to Polin Museum by tram no 17 which has its stop on Aleje Jana Pawła II (direction towards Wola). In order to get to MDM hotel one should take city bus 525 which has its stop on the main bus hub located between Railways Station and "Złote Tarasy" shopping mall. When you get lost on Central Railways Station - use one of the numerous maps which help you find the proper way-out or ask one of Railways volunteer advisors who usually speaks English. Map of Station can be found here

The cost of taxi is about 35-40 PLN (8-10 EUR) from Chopin Airport, and around 100 PLN (25 EUR) from Modlin. There are numerous call-taxi and app-taxi companies in Warsaw.

Getting around

Warsaw has a large and efficient system of public transport, which consists of over 300 lines. Most of these are bus lines, but there is also a number of tram lines and two metro lines. The tickets can be purchased from vending machines located at major stops, as well as from vending machines placed in most vehicles. Tickets bought outside the vehicle need to be validated in a validator immediately after you enter the vehicle.

Good news! On the first day of our conference, 22 September, all public transport in Warsaw (buses, trams, metro) will be free for one day only, thanks to the European Car-Free Day. On that day you don't need to have any tickets. Additionally, every delegate will be entitled to 1 free ticket, to facilitate your return transfers to the airport and stations. Please pick them up at Information Desk.

If you want to plan your public transport journey like a true Warsaw guy, we recommend the mobile app JakDojadę (which means "How do I get there?" in Polish). "Jak dojadę" can also be used via webpage.

Please also read more details about travelling to Warsaw and using public transport in Warsaw here

Side activities

Friday, September 22, 1 pm: National Museum of Ethnography welcomes all to join Backstage Pass activity. It is a unique occasion for sightseeing the Museum with guide including items not normally on display + if time allows - short editing session with access to Museum archives. Those interested must gather at 1 pm (13:00) at the entrance of the MDM museum or go themselves to Museum.
Saturday, September 23, 5 pm: Polin Museum welcomes all participants of the conference to join a guided tour of the Museum's exhibition. The tickets will be available for free on conference reception desk.
Sunday, September 23, 6 pm: Old Town guided walk will start at the entrance to the Polin Museum. 2 or 3 various routes takes around 2 hrs, which will end up in Harenda Restuarant, where we will have a regional food dinner. Wear warm clothes and comfortable shoes.
Monday, September 24, 4 pm: A WikiWalk - a guided photo-walk in Muranów neighbourhood will start at the entrance of Polin Museum. Before II World War it was a Jewish part of the city, so the walk is devoted to the Jewish memories.
All time: Don't forget to take pictures and join WikiVactions a Polish edition of Wiki Loves Monuments!

Directory of places

Interactive map of Warsaw

Here you can find out details about all the places that will host some parts of CEE Meeting 2017. More detailed information about them can be found here.

Polin Museum

Polish name: Muzeum Historii Żydów Polskich POLIN

role: main conference venue on Saturday and Sunday, GLAM activities meeting place on Monday (only for the walking track)

address: Anielewicza 6

coordinates: 52.249444, 20.992778

public transport stop: Nalewki-Muzeum

lines: 111, 180

MDM Hotel

Polish name: Hotel MDM

role: accommodation for all grant-funded and some self-funded delegates, conference venue on Friday and Monday (all day) and Saturday evening

address: Plac Konstytucji 1

coordinates: 52.221451, 21.016522

public transport stops: Plac Konstytucji and Metro Politechnika

lines:

from/to Plac Konstytucji stop: 4, 15, 18, 35, 118, 131, 151, 159, 385, 411, 501, 502, 514, 515, 525, N25, N31, N37, N81

from/to Metro Politechnika stop: 188 (recommended for transfer from/to Chopin airport), 10, 14, 15, 118, 131, 143, 151, 182, 187, 385, 411, 501, 502, 514, 519, 520, 522, 523, 525, M1, N25, N31, N37, N81

National Museum of Etnography

Polish name: Państwowe Muzeum Etnograficzne

role: GLAM venue on Friday

address: Kredytowa 1

coordinates: 52.238142, 21.012167

public transport stop: Plac Małachowskiego

lines: 102, 105, 107, 111, 116, 128, 175, 178, 180, 222, 503, 518, E-2, N44

Harenda Hotel & Club

Polish name: Hotel i Klub Harenda

role:: Sunday supper venue

address: Krakowskie Przedmieście 4/6

coordinates: 52.23859, 21.018522

public transport stop: Uniwersytet

lines: 102, 128, 178, 503

Other important information

Currency: Although being an EU member, Poland still uses its own currency called Polish zloty (in short: zł or PLN). The current official exchange rate can be found here. One can exchange the currency in banks or in numerous "Kantors". Most credit cards and debit cards (Visa, EuroCard, MasterCard) are usually accepted in most shops and restaurants.
Language: Polish is the main language of Poland. It is a West Slavic language, written in modified Latin alphabet. English is most commonly spoken in Poland. If you get lost in Warsaw, you should be able to find someone with at least basic knowledge of English very quickly.
Electricity: Poland uses so called Type C (ungrounded) and Type E (grounded) electrical plugs and sockets, used in e.g. France, Czech Republic and Slovakia. Voltage is 220-230 ~V.
Climate: Our conference will be held in late September, which is typically early Autumn in Warsaw. You should expect rather mild temperatures (10-16 deg. C) and raining. Take a raincoat and warm clothes with you.

For more tips about staying in Warsaw please read here.

Other conferences

If you can extend your stay in Warsaw by a few days, just after the CEE Meeting there will be 2 conferences which might be of interest for wikimedians:

CopyCamp Warsaw - September 28-29

CopyCamp is an international conference devoted to copyright, organized by the Modern Poland Foundation every year since 2012. Representatives of cultural institutions, the media, creative sectors, academic, legal, political and non-governmental circles gather annually to discuss the influence of copyright on the circulation of cultural goods and social changes taking place all over the world. In 2017 the event takes place on 28-29 September in "Praha" Cinema, Jagiellońska 26, Warsaw. (see on map: [1]). More information here.

Digital Cultures - September 25-27

Digital Cultures is an international conference about influence of digitisation on widely understood culture including cinema, theatre, museums, and computer games. There will be 18 interdisciplinary panels, 60 lectures, and a number of free-access workshops, provided by acknowledged artists and experts from all over the world. Among others Wikimedia Polska will organize there a workshop for those who wants to start with us a GLAM cooperation. Digital Cultures will take place on September 25-27 in various places in Warsaw, among others in Polin Museum, just after CEE Meeting. More information here.