Christian Conference of Asia

50 Years of Life Together:
Affirming our common mission and witness

International Symposium
3-8 March 2007, Indonesia

Dear colleagues and friends,

Thank you for your support for the work and programmes of the CCA over the years and thank you for taking time to come to Indonesia to celebrate with us 50 years of life together in the ecumenical journey. Below are some basic information about the event.

Venue:
The International Symposium will be held at
The Danau Toba Cottages,
Jl.Nelson Purba, Parapat, Indonesia.
(Tel:62-625-41172/ 41669/ 41198; Fax:62-625-41640)
Parapat is 185 km southeast of Medan and is located at the top of an extinct volcano.

Dates:
International Symposium: Arrival: 3 March 2007; and  Departure: 8 March 2007
General committee meeting: 8-9 March 2007; Departure for Genera Committee members: 10 March 2007

Programme schedule:
A host of programmes have been planned for this event including a special opening ceremony, international symposium, revival service in Permatang Siantar, a huge rally in Stadium Merdeka in Medan, choir festivals, cultural events and exhibitions. Participants of the International Symposium will also be invited to take part in the tree planting (re-forestation) project in Permatang Siantar that has been initiated by member churches in North Sumatra.

How to get there:
The nearest airport (Polonia International Airport) to Parapat is located in the city of Medan, North Sumatra. International connections to Medan could be made via Jakarta, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Penang. If you have provided information of your arrival in advance, a host committee in Indonesia will receive you from the airport and transfer you to your hotel in Parapat. The hospitality of board and lodging related to the programme in Parapat and Medan are being provided graciously by our Indonesian host

Weather in Parapat:
Since Sumatra is right next to the equator, Sumatra’s climate is very tropical. This means one minute the weather is hot and humid, the next it is raining in sheets. However, in general, throughout the year, the temperature during the day remains in between 70 and 86 degrees. As with all tropical climates, Sumatra has a rainy season and a dry season. The dry season lasts from May to September. The wet season however is harder to define and forecast.

Currency:
The currency in Indonesia is Rupiah. The denomination notes are: Rp500, Rp1,000, Rp10,000 and Rp100,000.
The exchange rate is roughly 1 USD = 9,000 Rupiah.

Reimbursement:
All participants are expected to be responsible for their own travel costs to and from Medan.  CCA can only cover the travel expenses of the members of the General Committee, former officers of CCA and resource persons at the International Symposium. The hospitality of board and lodging in Parapat and Medan will be provided to all international participants by member churches and the regional PGI in North Sumatra.