38th Inter-Agency Games 2011
The Letter to Organizers
Dear Colleagues,
The IAG 2011 Organizing Committee (IAGOC) is happy to announce that the 38th Inter-Agency Games will be held in the Traunsee region of Austria from 13 to 17 April 2011. Please note that the IAGOC decided that the Event will start on Wednesday (day of arrival) and end on Sunday (day of departure), to be in the same calendar week. The competitions will commence on Thursday, the closing and prize giving ceremonies will therefore be held on Saturday evening.
The host region:The IAG 2011 region is the appropriate destination for enthusiastic and passionate friends of sports. It is typically known as a holiday region here in Austria with its famous lake and mountainous background. There are many yearly indoor and outdoor activities which take place in this region and it has satisfied many fun-filled expectations by its worldly visitors. . Gmunden is not a big city, but by no means a sleepy village. The lively city with southern charm, appointed to spa in 1862 has never lost its appeal. Its unique location on the shores of lake Traunsee, surrounded by mountains, has, together with its cultural past, a special flair. It is well-known across Europe for its ceramic products and a TV series entitled “Schlosshotel Orth”. Altmünster, with the villages of Neukirchen and Rindlmühl, is an idyllic rural commune on the shores of lake Traunsee. The beautiful Salzkammergut region will enchant you from the start. Apart from the lake, there are kilometres of hiking, cycling and mountain biking trails and culture lovers as well as people in search of relaxation will certainly find it to be the right destination. Traunkirchen is small but beautiful. It is one of the most picturesque resorts in the Salzkammergut, a magnet for visitors who appreciate hospitality and traditions. The quaint town center on a peninsula jutting from the west bank, is dominated by the impressive backdrop of the Traunstein (1691 m) and has always been a popular motif for landscape painters and artists. Ebensee is a market town on the southern shores of Traunsee in the middle of this landscape combination. Attractive leisure activities, a central location for adventurous trips, cozy accommodations and hospitable people offer optimum conditions for a pleasant menu for body and mind at the best time of the year. For more information, please visit the website www.traunsee.at.
Who can participateIn accordance with General Rule 14, any person of a participating organization
or agency who has served under contract, including supernumeraries, for at least
three months or who holds a contract of at least three months duration and, in
either case, holds a contract effective at least one month before the IAG open
and during their entire duration, is eligible for selection as a member of a
team. Any person who has retired from any participating organization or agency
is also eligible to participate in the UNIAG.
Participating organizations/agencies must normally be listed on the United Nations
System document www.unsystem.org or if not listed therein then have the approval
of the Secretariat to participate. Such approval shall depend on any such organization
having joint missions with the UN (see General Rule 6).
The Vienna-based Organizations therefore invite your organizations/agencies to
form teams in the following disciplines:
1. Athletics men: minimum 4 – maximum 6
2. Athletics women: minimum 3 – maximum 5
3. Badminton: minimum 3 men and 1 woman- maximum of 5 men and 3 women
4. Basketball: maximum 12 players
5. Bridge: minimum 4 - maximum 6 players
6. Chess: minimum 5 – maximum 6 players
7. Darts: minimum 6 – maximum 8 players
8. Football men: minimum 7 – maximum 12
9. Football women: minimum 7 – maximum 12
10. Golf: minimum 4 – maximum 6
11. Pétanque: 3 per triplet plus maximum 2 reserves
12. Squash : minimum 3 men and a maximum of 4 men and 1 woman, plus one optional
reserve
13. Swimming men : minimum 4 – maximum 5
14. Swimming women: minimum 4 – maximum 5
15. Table Tennis men: minimum 3 – maximum 5
16. Table Tennis women: minimum 2 – maximum 3
17. Tennis: 10 per team (5 men and 5 women)
18. Volleyball men: minimum 6, maximum 9 players without a libero or 10 players with a libero
19. Volleyball women: minimum 6, maximum 9 players without a libero or 10 players with a
libero
At the moment there are no restrictions on the number of teams per
discipline submitted for participation by any organization. In accordance
with the General Rules of the Games, mixed teams are permitted and they should
not be created to make a “strong” team. Whenever possible, organizations
should endeavour to form complete teams.
In recent years participation levels in some disciplines have somewhat diminished.
We therefore inform you that in case there are less than four teams in any
discipline, we reserve the right to cancel it from the 38th UNIAG. The discipline
rules have been modified by the IAG Secretariat and we would recommend that
you download the current version of the rules from the IAG website which will
be available by mid-January (iag2011.interagencygames.org).
Organizational matters:
The IAG Secretariat has also drawn terms of reference for the specific functions related to the Games. The terms of reference for the organizers of individual organizations are attached to this letter for ease of reference. The terms of reference of other functions (i.e. control commission, team captains, discipline coordinators) are also attached for ease of reference, as are the Rules of Procedure of the Control Commission. Please note that the organizers of the individual organizations have to ensure that the lists of participants are stamped and signed by the HR department of the organization in which the participant holds a contract.
IAG package and hotel information:The cost of participation for the package is EUR 514 per person for a shared
double or twin room, EUR 594 for a single room, at half board. Children up
to age six will be accommodated free of charge. For children aged 6-12, a reduction
of 50% will be offered and children aged 12-16 will be offered a 30%. Reductions
apply for children sharing their parents’ room. Pets will also be accommodated
at a rate of 5€ per night excluding food. Additional nights before or after
the dates of the 38th UNIAG are offered at EUR 50 for double rooms and at EUR
60 for single rooms per night. The package includes four nights in the hotel
with breakfast, dinner, as well as the dinner at the closing ceremony. Extras
are not included.
Please note that single room availability is limited therefore we encourage
room sharing as much as possible.
Kindly be informed that participation in the Games is subject to the above
package deal. In accordance with a decision of the Control Commission, private
accommodation arrangements will not be accepted.
Transfers will be made from the airports or railway stations of Linz and Salzburg.
Please note that transfers from Vienna or Munich will not be possible.
During the Event, free transportation will be available to and from the hotels
and discipline sites as well as between the various disciplines. In addition
there will be free transportation between all locations involved with the Event.
There will also be transportation to the evening events and our counterparts
from Traunsee are organizing areas for our entertainment every evening.
Transportation for arrivals prior to 13 or after 17 April can be organized,
but participants will have to pay for it themselves.
The registration of the teams should be made exclusively by the organizers of participating organizations on the official interagency website, the details of which will be provided directly to the organizers. Participants should ensure that their leave is approved prior to registering. The registration deadline is Friday, 4 March 2011. Beyond this date the IAGOC reserves the right to accept or reject further registrations.
Payment:Payment details, including deadlines, shall be provided to the organizers of each participating organization in due course.
Medical certificates:Although medical certificates are not mandatory in Austria it is recommended that, for their own safety, participants consult with their general practitioner before engaging in any sporting activity. Participants and supporters are responsible for their own medical insurance. The host organizations will not be held liable.
Entry visas (VERY IMPORTANT):Kindly ensure that all participants have the necessary visas for Austria (and any countries they might need to travel through) and that they apply as early as possible (we would suggest six weeks in advance of the deadline for cancellation, i.e. 31 March 2011) to ensure that the visa is available on time. We would recommend immediate action to ensure visa availability. Invitation letters can be provided to facilitate visa requests. Full details of all travellers will be required. There will be no reimbursement for no-show due to visa-related problems.
Cancellation:Full reimbursement of the IAG package cost will only be possible for cancellations up to Thursday, 31 March 2011. We reserve the right to assess refunds for cancellations after that date on a case-by-case basis.
Miscellaneous:We would like to remind participants that they must have official picture identification
with them.
Organizers having specific questions should contact Marie-Odile Dorer, Chair
2011 IAG Organizing Committee (o.dorer@unido.org) with a copy to Steven Eales
(s.eales@unido.org).
The 2011 IAG Organizing Committee wishes you all a very merry Christmas and
a Happy New Year.