More information on roundtables

Facilitators
Any participant registered at the conference may seek to facilitate a discussion on a topic that he or she selects, provided it is consistent with the scope of the conference listed on the conference over view page or the PDF conference flyer.
The facilitators are not expected to make formal presentations but rather, based on their interest in and experience with the topic, lead the discussion and ensure that appropriate issues are covered.

Materials
Handout materials are not required. If facilitators wish to supply handout materials or fact sheets at their roundtables, they will have to be handed over to the conference organizer on the day prior to the event, who will make them available at the conference. Materials that are advertisements of commercial products, propaganda, or in any way solicitations for products or services will not be acceptable for distribution during the roundtables. 

Audio-visual
There will be no audiovisual facilities for roundtables. Requests for sites with electrical outlets will have to be made in advance to the conference organizers after 1st October 2006.

Notification of roundtables
Once a request by a facilitator is accepted by the Technical Advisory Committee, the topic and name and contact details of the facilitator will be made available on the web to gauge expression of interest in participation. Facilities for registration at roundtables will be made available at the conference. 

Guidelines for facilitators

• The facilitator may guide the discussion to focus on the roundtable theme, without changing the overall focus of the round table.
• The facilitator can kick off the discussion but should not dominate it.
• The roundtables should be as interactive as possible. Hence, the facilitator should ensure that all participants have opportunity to voice their views as there will be no pre-established list of speakers.
• Given the brief time available, the facilitator should limit the time for interventions (e.g.  three minutes at a go). There will be no written interventions.
• Participants should be invited to address the roundtable theme. Extended bilateral dialogue should be prevented. 
• The facilitator is expected to provide a short summary of the respective roundtable discussions to the conference organizers during the conference. It time permits this can be presented in a manner to be agreed, orally, to the concluding plenary session of the conference. It will also be included in the conference proceedings.

The conference secretariat will provide support by way of computer facilities to the facilitator for preparation of their oral/written reports to the conference.