The IISS Geo-Economic Strategy Summit: The Bahrain Global Forum
Press Policy
14 – 16 May 2010
Venue: The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain Hotel & Spa, PO Box 55577, Manama
Tel: (973) 1758 0000; Fax: (973) 1758 0333
Welcome to the IISS Geo-Economic Strategy Summit: The Bahrain Global Forum, ‘Rebalancing Global Geo-economic Strategies for Security, Growth and Development’. The Bahrain Global Forum has been designed by The International Institute for Strategic Studies as a summit meeting of key political figures, finance and treasury ministers and officials, business people, economists, strategists and leaders of international economic and financial institutions. Its purpose is to examine the manner in which international financial and economic movements affect local, regional and international relations, and to assist the development of sound public policies to deal with the impact of such geo-economic changes.
The Bahrain Global Forum will convene key delegates from all across the globe both to debate current geo-economic trends and propose improved policies to better balance relations between the developing and developed world, manage global economic relations, strengthen global economic governance, refine the place of economics in conflict resolution, diversify economies, and encourage a global perspective in new centres of economic power.
The 2010 Bahrain Global Forum will introduce a unique format that includes television debates, on-the-record keynote addresses and plenary session speakers, off-the-record break-out groups (delegate only) and multiple media opportunities to engage with senior policy makers and experts.
Guidelines for media and delegate coverage of the BGF follow with instructions regarding registration and other logistical requirements. You should be aware that media are strongly advised to register before 12 May 2010. This gives the IISS sufficient time to prepare your credentials, although on-site registration is possible in a limited number of circumstances.
Contents:
Guests of the IISS,Receiving Invitation and Advance Registration
As guests of the IISS, media agencies are strongly encouraged to specifically reference the ‘IISS Bahrain Global Forum’ in their reporting. Your help in reporting on The Bahrain Global Forum will go a long way in ensuring future events of this kind are a success. We greatly appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
The IISS endeavours to invite as many media representatives as possible, giving priority to media affiliated with those nations that are officially represented at the Forum. To this end, the IISS sends out an initial round of media invitations, but certainly welcomes requests for accreditation.
Online registration will open from 29 March 2010, with a cut-off date of 12 May 2010. Those wishing to participate should email bgf-press@iiss.org and registration details will be sent to them from 29 March. It is necessary to register in order to receive an ID badge, without which access to the secured area will be denied.
On-Site Registration and Security
Pre-registered media may collect their ID tag and press packets from 1000hrs on Friday, 14 May 2010 in the lobby of the Ritz-Carlton hotel. Media who were unable to pre-register may do so on-site, but we strongly encourage advance online registration to minimise the amount of time you will be kept waiting.
Press Room
The IISS will establish a press room in the Plantation Terrace of the Ritz-Carlton in order to provide journalists with as much information as possible. A real-time video link will show the keynote address on the evening of Friday 14 May and the plenary and Q&A sessions on the mornings of Saturday 15 May and Sunday 16 May. Media can plug in to the live feed in the press room for broadcasting. Official speeches and information regarding press conferences, interviews, and photo opportunities will be made available in the press room as they are received from the delegations. There will be wireless internet and broadband connections for laptop computers in the press room. There will be several desktop computers and printers available for media use, but laptops are strongly encouraged.
The press room will have light refreshments for journalists during the Forum, with lunch provided on Saturday and Sunday, and a sandwich dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings.
During the Bahrain Global Forum: Press Briefings and Conferences, Keynote Address and Plenary Sessions
Press conferences
Details of official press conferences will be posted in the press room as the information is made available by the delegations.
Opening Press Conference: Friday 14 May
On Friday evening, there will be an Opening Press Conference featuring IISS Senior Staff, location and time TBA, for all media. All media are requested to attend and the Press Officer will be on hand to answer any logistical questions.
Keynote Address: Friday 14 May 21:00
Media Representatives will be escorted into and out of the ballroom before the opening address and after the Q&A on Friday evening. For the Keynote Address, for reasons of protocol, media representatives admitted to the ballroom must stay for the duration. The IISS will advise on any additional requirements pertaining to the Keynote Address closer to the Forum.
Because of space limitations and if your agency registers multiple people, we ask you to nominate only one journalist (this excludes photographers and cameramen) to be in the ballroom for the Keynote Address. The IISS will reserve a dedicated area for media representatives in the ballroom and will provide the necessary interpretation equipment. All TV cameras must be set-up on the platform in the back of the ballroom no later than 2045hrs, and photographers must gather in the roped area in front of the stage.
Special Address: Saturday 15 May 20:30 - 21:30
Additional details on this opportunity will be made available soon.
Plenary Sessions: Saturday 15 May and Sunday 16 May
Agencies are invited to join all the plenary sessions.
Closing Press Conference: Sunday 16 May 15:30
There will be a Closing Press Conference on Sunday, 16 May, at 15:30 hours, location TBA.
There is the possibility of additional press events during The Bahrain Global Forum. These will be advertised as information becomes available.
Specific Regulations for TV Crews
Space for TV cameras is available in the ballroom on dedicated platforms. We will make every effort to accommodate your needs. In addition, your agency may take the IISS live feed from the press room or the ballroom.
For safety reasons no tripods will be allowed outside of the designated camera area at the back of the ballroom. As space is extremely tight, cameras are not permitted to film from the sides or move around during proceedings. Should you need multiple camera angles, we encourage you to use our video footage which you are free to take and edit.
TV crews wishing to live broadcast should contact the IISS if they require assistance or need to connect with a provider. Should a live broadcast be confirmed, please notify the Press Officer in advance so we put you in touch with Bahrain TV, or arrange your cabling.
Specific Regulations for Photographers
During the proceedings photographers must keep to the rear of the ballroom and other designated areas. We will endeavour to provide brief photo opportunities for the opening address and at the beginning of each plenary. We would be grateful if photographers would return to the rear of the ballroom when requested to do so by a member of the IISS staff. In addition, details of official photo opportunities will be posted in the press room as the information becomes available.
In order not to discriminate against agencies that are not permitted to enter the secured area, the IISS requests that photographers who are part of the select group pool share their images.
Restricted Areas
Journalists and media may not enter, photograph or film during the delegate lunches on Saturday and Sunday. Media must restrict their activities to the secured area and press room, as there are heavy security concerns in all other areas of the hotel. In particular, the Ritz-Carlton strictly forbids any unauthorised filming of the lobby and common areas of the hotel.
Requesting an Interview
In advance of the Bahrain Global Forum, media may request interviews through an online submission form on which can be found on the press area of the Bahrain Global Forum website. While we cannot confirm participants far in advance, media may request the ‘Senior Most Defence Representative’ from a given country and we will forward this to the appropriate person. IISS Senior Fellows and Experts are available, as well.
During the Forum, there will be ample opportunity to request interviews during the coffee breaks, through the Press Officer, and between formal proceedings. In the Press Room, there will be an ‘Interview Request Form’ for all Delegate interview requests. Once completed, the Press Officer will submit batches of these at allocated times to government delegations with the request that they contact the media individuals directly if accepting to establish a time and date. Media are also encouraged to politely approach a person to request an interview; going through the Press Officer is not a requirement.
Should you need assistance with a location, the Press Officer will be happy to assist. Similarly, the Press Officer will convey media requests from delegations to the media representatives. If requested, the IISS may release your name and contact details to Delegates for the purposes of requesting an audience with your agency. Your agency is under no obligation to accept.
Journalists who manage to obtain interviews with participants are free to report statements provided they have the full understanding and agreement of the interviewee.
Rights and Intellectual Property
Coverage of the Bahrain Global Forum by the media—including Delegates—must be carried out with the understanding that the IISS will be afforded the right to reproduce articles submitted as a result of attendance at the Forum both in its publications and on its website, and will also have the right to use images taken at the event, in generally but not exclusively the same formats free of charge.
As a consequence, the IISS would be grateful if photographers would submit copies of their images to enable the Institute to quickly assess imagery. We would also be grateful if broadcast agencies would submit copies of the aired footage. Photographers and broadcast agencies can be assured that the Institute will treat such imagery and coverage with due care and will only use it for Institute purposes.
Photographers and broadcast media are permitted to use our images, which will be placed on the IISS website at various times during the Forum. Broadcast media are permitted to take and use our live feed.
We look forward to welcoming you to the IISS Geo-Economic Strategy Summit: The Bahrain Global Forum in May 2010!
