Wikimania 2015 bids/Monastir
Wikimedia Tunisia is an emerging community that intends to organize Wikimania 2015 in Monastir, one of the best tourist destinations in Northern Africa. Set along a superb coastline with a blue sea and long golden sandy beaches, Monastir is a pleasant seaside resort as well as historical town full of traditions. Monastir out under the protection of its ribat, one of the moste impressive fortresses of Tunisia, its medina, its fishing port, its marina and its background of villages and orchards make it a lively and welcoming destination.
- Country: Tunisia
- Proposed city: Monastir
- Proposed venue: Monastir Sciences Palace
- Proposed dates: July 21st, 2015 to July 26th, 2015
- Planned attendance: 1000~1200
- Contact: Yassine Tounsi, tounsi.yassin@gmail.com
Venue
Monastir Sciences Palace is a public non-administrative establishment with an area of 5,470 square meters.
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Facade of the Monastir Sciences Palace - October 2013
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Monastir Sciences Palace
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Amphitheatre of the Monastir Sciences Palace
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A videoconference room of the Monastir Sciences Palace
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Digital crossroad room of the Monastir Sciences Palace
Architecture
The palace occupies an area of 5,470 square meters, consisting of:
- A conference room having a circular shape and an annex, rectangular in a shape, connected by a partially-covered gallery. The congress hall and the gallery cover an area of 2,474 m2 equipped to organize congresses and scientific as well as cultural events. This room is fully air-conditioned. It has a capacity of 850 places, three commission rooms, simultaneous translation cabinets, projection equipments, and a fully-developed sound system.
- The annex is a breakdown of two levels having an overall area of 1,600 m2. It includes:
- A videoconference room of 150 seats
- Six rooms for training and commissions work of 35 seats
- Other rooms used for various purposes (A "Braille" room , a virtual university room, a digital studio, a language lab, a library and a digital crossroad)
All these spaces are equipped with wifi hot-spots.
Access
Monastir Sciences Palace is ideally located at the very heart of the town of Monastir, on Avenue Farhat-Hached, in front of the municipality and at 100 meters from the headquarters of Monastir Governorate. The palace is next to the old city known as a "medina". Venue map: http://www.psm.rnu.tn/anglais/index.php?page=acces_carte
Monastir
Welcome to Monastir where you will have your fill of blue sky and sunshine, where you will find extraordinary heritage and original traditions, where you will enjoy twinkling sea. Monastir is a tourist city on the eastern coast of Tunisia. It has many fine hotels and restaurants. It has also many faculties part of the University of Monastir.
"Modern Monastir extends beyond the old town and along the coast. It is full of hotels and tourist amenities, making it a modern seaside resort."
"Coloured boats on a beach of very fine sand, and then the sea, its colour growing gradually darker, from the almost white azure at the water's edge to dark blue towards the horizon. The image of relaxing, holidays and carefree existence is just one the many that Monastir has in store for the tourist."
In 2004, the population of the municipality is 71,546 inhabitants.
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Monastir - Al Qurayyah beach
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Beach in Monastir
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Sea view at Monastir
Climate
Monastir enjoys a dry Mediterranean climate with hot summers, extremely mild winters, lots of sunshine and low rainfall year round. The city sits in the northeast of Tunisia, on its central coast. It is much hotter than the Mediterranean resorts on the European coast, but much milder than inland areas of Tunisia, forty percent of which is part of the Sahara. Summer, from June till September, is absolutely sweltering. If you spend too long outside, you’ll find yourself melted to the spot or wilting in the shade. While humidity is low, the soaring heat can still be hard to handle. The average high temperature of 29°C in June skips past the 30°C mark in the middle of the month and climbs up to 33°C in July and August.
Language
Tunisians are willing to learn foreign languages. Tourists usually don't find problems communicating with Tunisians.
Arabic is the native language. French is spoken fluently by almost every Tunisians and is often used in many fields (press, radios and all road signs). English is the third spoken language in Tunisia and it's well spoken, especially in touristic areas.
Cuisine
Appreciated by tasters, Tunisian cuisine owes its variety to the richness of its soil and the contributions of different traditions: Berber, Arab, Turkish and even Italian... Tunisian people love a good taste and give much attention to what they eat. Welcome to a tasty world full of colors and savory surprises! A sunny cuisine where lamb mixes with sea bream and grouper, where almonds blend with peppers and rosebuds, and where olive oil is combined with carefully selected spices. The celebrated couscous can be cooked in countless different ways: with fish, dried meat, meatballs, stuffed squid... A crispy hors-d'oeuvre and delicious almond patisseries are made from filo pastry, bequeathed by Turks. The meal is accompanied with the traditional mint tea accompanied by sweets. Restaurants are classed as "touristic restaurants" with a rating of 1 to 3 forks. Here is the list of the most known restaurants in Monastir:
- LE GRILL 3F
- THE CAPTAIN 3F
- LE CHANDELIER 2F
- LE PECHEUR 2F
- SALSA POSADA 1F
- LA PLAGE 1F
Sights & Activities
Ribat
Monastir's star attraction is its preserved ribat complex, considered as the country's finest example of Islamic military architecture. Its seemingly chaotic design with labyrinthine passageways and staircases is a legacy of the ribat's many periods of construction and renovation. The consequence is an evocative structure devoid of any uniformity. The original ribat occupied only the central courtyard and museum area and was built in AD 796. The current shape was established by the Aghlabids at the end of the 9th century and completed during the 11th century. There are panoramic views of the town and the coast line from the ramparts.
"One of the monuments that is symbol of the town, the spectacular ribat, facing the sea and strongly fortified, with battlements, turrets and a central tower from the top of which you can enjoy a wide, enchanting view of the sea, the medina, the mosques and the mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba. Because of its great beauty, the Monastir ribat has been chosen as the set for many film productions, including Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth. Its construction goes back to 796, which is why it's considered to be the oldest Arab fortification in Tunisia."
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A slot in the tower of Monastir Ribat
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Monastir Ribat on 14 May 2013
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Monastir Ribat
Medina
Monastir's medina was largely demolished after independence in an ill-considered rush to modernise the town and keeping with its status as the birthplace of the president. Thankfully, the ribat survived, as did the Great Mosque. Built in the 9th century, it's a severe Aghlabid creation, apart from the graceful horseshoe arches at the northern end. Roman columns supporting these arches and thoe of the prayer hall (closed to non-Muslims) were salvaged from the ruins of ancient Ruspina. The walls in the western part of the medina remain largely intact and are the dotted with some interesting old gates, the finest one is Bab el-Gharbi, at the centre of the western wall. It was built by the Hafsids during the 15th century. Bab Tunis, at the northwestern corner, was built in 1780 while the main southern gate, Bab Briqcha, was built by the Ottomans at the end of the 17th century.
The Costumes Museum is around the corner from the tourist office and worth a quick look.
Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba
The visitors to Monastir should not leave without visiting the mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba and his family. The mausoleum could be reached via a paved walkway, the gold and green cupolas are very attractive for new comers. The marble courtyard, green-tiled arches and elegant eastern doors are superb.
The mausoleum houses tombs of the family and a small display of items that belonged to the first president of Tunisia. The admission is free of charge and it is open Mondays to Saturdays. If the main gate is occasionally closed, visitors can walk around the fence to the next small gate on the northern side.
"Monastir's other, spectacular symbol is the Mausoleum of Habib Bourguiba, statesman and father of Tunisian independence, who was born in this town on 3 August 1902 and has been buried here since April 2000. The great monument is laid out as a central building covered with a large gilt dome, containing Bourguiba's tomb, surrounded by three other green domes, where the president's father, mother and first wife are buried. At the sides, there are 25-meter high minarets topped with gilt spires and the whole structure is covered in precious marble."
Marina
The marina and its modern installations offer to the admiring looks its enormous yachts, floating and slender luxury hotels. Small modern bearing settled below the ledge, northeast from the city center, differs not at all from a Mediterranean resort: cafés, restaurants, ice-cream makers, bar serving cocktails, shops, etc. The site also includes a hammam on the west. Of the pier, we can see the Pigeons island and guess the marine caves of El Khalif.
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Monastir Marina
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Monastir Marina
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Boat at Monastir Marina
Museums
- Costumes Museum: Shows old clothes worn by Tunisians: for men the jebba a full tunic, the burnous made of camel hears and the chichi (a red felt cap), for women the draped red garment, the melia and the white silk sefseri.
- Museum of Islamic Art: It contains a collection of early Arab coins, pottery, old maps and photos of Monastir.
Accommodation
Student dormitories
Monastir's university attracts thousands of students from all over the country. In Monastir, there are 4 public dormitories that could be used for hosting Wikimania guests in addition to dozens of private cheap dormitories.
Public dormitories Dormitory name Address and contact Type Capacity Info El Bassatin El Bassatine, 5000 Monastir, Phone number: +216 73 46 19 89 Boys and girls 5 single rooms, 364 double rooms, 29 triple rooms Catering service, medical service, sports facilities, cultural area : reading room, living room, Internet and wifi, open space, and reception room Imem Elmezri Kairouan Street, 5000 Monastir, Phone number: +216 73 500 251 / 73 500 252 Girls 30 double rooms Panoramio 3-Août Ibn Sina Street, 5000 Monastir, Phone number:+216 73 461 971 / 464 245 Girls Wikimapia Skanes Skanes, 5000 Monastir, Phone number: +216 73 461 971 / 464 245 Girls
Hostels
- Youth club
- CREFOC
Hotels
The infrastructure of hotels is of a remarkable quality and continues to get even better. Classed hotels (from one to five stars) are beyond reproach for hygiene and facilities. Covered swimming pools, sporting facilities, mini-clubs for children and spa centres are very common. Costs of hotels in Monastir varies from 20 $ to 120 $ for a night.
In Monastir, you will have a range of choices between luxury and simple hotels. A selection of them is listed below:
Transport
Air
Monastir Habib Bourguiba International Airport is among the first 20 busiest airports in Africa. The airport activity is mainly due to the movement of tourists coming to visit Monastir, Sousse and the surrounding resorts (Monastir-Skanes and Port El Kantaoui in particular). Almost all charter flights are concentrated during the tourist season. The airport is located at Skanes, 9 km from the city center. The trip by taxi costs about 5 TD (3.5 $). Getting to the airport is also possible through train between Monastir and Sousse, since the train station "Airport" is only 200 meters from airport terminal. Visit airport website for further info: http://www.habibbourguibaairport.com/en-EN/Pages/Main.aspx
The "prime class" CIP Service offered by TAV Operation Services transforms travelling into a pleasant experience at 43 airports worldwide from Paris to Tokyo thanks to collaborations materialized internationally. Visit airport website for further info: http://www.enfidhahammametairport.com/en-EN/Pages/Main.aspx
Tunis–Carthage International Airport is the prime Airport of the country, It serves more than a million passengers a year. It presents many facilities such as exchange offices that operate for 24 hours, mobile hire services, post office. The Airport contains also several restaurants which serve various Tunisian delicacies. Visit airport website for further info: http://www.aeroport-de-tunis-carthage.com/
Bus
Getting access to Monastir is easy by bus, the bus station is located on the western edge of the medina. There is a bus every 20 minutes leaving from the station located in Bab Bhar, Sousse, with lines 52A and 52B.
Car
To reach Monastir by car, you can contact rent car agencies, these agencies are all based at Monastir's airport:
- HERITIERS AFRIC AUTOS (AVIS) (Phone: +216 73 521 031)
- FASHION RENT A CAR (Phone: +216 73 524 288/+216 21 409 320)
- DIM RENT A CAR (Phone: +216 73 524 421)
Louage
You can reach also Monastir by an other public transportation which is louage, the station being located next to the bus station. If choosing a louage at the Tunis station (Moncef Bey), you can arrive to Monastir within 3 hours.
Train
You can reach Monastir by train from Tunis. Trains leave the capital 3 times a day, at 8:30 AM, 1:35 PM and 5:50 PM. If you are in Sousse, there is the metro from Bab Jedid station to Monastir center every half hour.
Living cost
Living cost in Tunisia is not really high. As a result, you can enjoy your time here without paying too much money. The Tunisian dinar is the currency of Tunisia. Currency can be exchanged at Monastir airport, as well as at the many bank offices in the city. The following table lists recent Tunisian dinar rates:
Exchange rates as of 17 February 2014 ([1]) Currency Equivalent of 1 TND Inverse Pound sterling 0.377 2.646 Canadian dollar 0.692 1.444 Euro 0.460 2.170 United Arab Emirates dirham 2.319 0.431 Swiss franc 0.562 1.776 United States dollar 0.631 1.583
Visa
Visitors to Tunisia must obtain a visa from one of the Tunisian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempted countries or are eligible for a visa delivered upon arrival.
Visa exemption
Citizens of the following 72 countries and territories can visit Tunisia for up to 90 days (unless otherwise stated) without a visa:
Visa upon arrival
Citizens of the following two countries may obtain a visa valid for up to 1 month upon arrival:
Organized tours
Citizens of the following 16 countries may enter Tunisia without a visa, provided travelling on a tour organized by a travel agency and holding a hotel voucher:
Citizens of other countries require a visa to enter the Tunisian territory.
Team
Local team
A this time, the Wikimedia community in Tunisia is not so big, so we are working to expand our activities through the help of non profit organizations like JCI ENIT and CLibre. Bidding to Wikimania would increase the number of active members and lead towards creating a Tunisian Wikimedia chapter.
The following table shows up the involved members throughout all the bidding process:
Event | Date | Flyer | Participants |
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Preliminary meetings: agreements about the venue, listing of support entities, discussing the bidding process, etc. |
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Management Workshop
Feasibility study and SWOT analysis of Wikimania Monastir 2015 |
1-Feb-14 | ||
Editing workshop: edit Wikimania Monastir 2015 bid page | 15-Feb-14 | ||
Language workshop: improve grammar, style and vocabulary of Wikimania Monastir 2015 bid request | 23-Feb-14 | ||
A two days trip to Monastir and a workshop to edit its Wikivoyage page | 8-Mar-14 |
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Online team
Insert your name below if you are intending to help as online team:
Self evaluation
Strengths | Weaknesses |
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Opportunities | Threats |
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Schedule
Ramadan in 2015 will start on Thursday 18th of June 2015, and will continue for 30 days until Friday 17th of July. Hence, we have chosen to distance the conference date from this holy month. The chosen dates are 21st of July to 26th of July. The proposed schedule for the conference is as follows:
Days | Tuesday 21st | Wednesday 22nd | Thursday 23rd | Friday 24th | Saturday 25th | Sunday 26th |
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Topic | Hacking day | Hacking day | Main conference day 1 | Main conference day 2 | Main conference day 3 | Wiki Unconference |
Morning | Hackathon | Hackathon | Opening Keynote/Welcome Plenary Conference Sessions |
Conference Sessions | Conference Sessions | Breakdown |
Lunch | Lunch break | |||||
Afternoon | Hackathon | Hackathon | Chapter Board Meeting Conference sessions |
Conference Sessions | Conference sessions Photo Group Closing ceremony |
Breakdown |
Evening | Group tours in the city and dinner | Official welcome event party | VIP party | Attendees party | volunteers/helpers party |
Budget
This is the estimated budget for hosting the conference based on local experience of hosting conferences. We plan for every Tunisian dinar spent, and as stated above, we have many potential sponsors in our country. All amounts are in Tunisian dinars.
Revenue | ||
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Regular Registrations | 175,000 TND | 500 @ 350 TND. For seven days |
Student & Wikimedian Registrations | 100,000 TND | 500 @ 200 TND. For seven days |
Silver Sponsorship | 20,000 TND | |
Gold Sponsorships | 30,000 TND | |
Diamond Sponsorships | 50,000 TND | |
Total Revenue | 375,000 TND | |
Expenditures | ||
Meals | 60,000 TND | Includes a light breakfast and lunch, as well as 2 coffee breaks. We can adjust the meal budget depending on how sponsorships develop |
Meeting space | 0 TND | Meeting space will be free |
Accommodations for VIPs | 14,000 TND | 20 @ 700 TND. For seven days. |
Travel for VIPs | 30,000 TND | VIPs accounted for in this line item are primarily Wikimedia Foundation officials, keynote speakers and community leaders |
Insurance | 0 | Insurance will be covered by the venues |
Scholarships | 50,000 TND | |
Technical | 50,000 TND | |
Participants Materials | 158,520 TND | Look on materials breakdown |
Promotional materials & supplies | 30,000 TND | T-shirts, badges for delegates, streamers, flyers and posters |
Participant gift bags | 10,000 TND | |
Attendee parties | 90,000 TND | Includes welcoming party, VIP reception, attendees and volunteers parties:
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WikiExpedition | 5,000 TND | Scavenger hunt/photo contest |
Conference consultant | 10,000 TND | |
Contingency | 50,000 TND | |
Grand Total of Expenditures | 453,520 TND |
Support
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Support letter signed by the director of the Culture Regional Delegation of Monastir
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Support letter signed by the director of the Tunisia National Tourist Office
Meetings
References
- http://www.psm.rnu.tn/anglais/index.php?page=acces_carte
- http://wikimapia.org/7029486/fr/Foyer-3-Aout
- http://www.panoramio.com/photo/61218384
- http://www.habibbourguibaairport.com/en-EN/Pages/Main.aspx
- http://www.enfidhahammametairport.com/en-EN/Pages/Main.aspx
- http://www.tunisietourisme.com.tn/
- http://www.sncft.com.tn/
- http://www.marinamonastir.tn/ang/index.php