Workshops registration is now open!
Prion 2009 members are now welcome to register for the workshops.
Information for Prion 2009
Prion 2009 will be held at the Porto Carras Grand Resort, Chalkidiki between the 23rd and the 25th of September 2009. More than 700 delegates from Europe and the rest of the world are expected to meet to exchange ideas and discuss advances in Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies and other Neurodegenerative Proteinopathies.
Certificates of Attendance
An official Certificate of Attendance will be provided for all registered delegates.
Climate
September can be really warm in Chalkidiki, although rainfall cannot be completely excluded. The average temperature in September is 22°C.
Industrial partners
Industrial partners will play a major part in the delivery of the Congress and companies in the field are actively encouraged to take part in the event and, indeed, to contribute to the scientific programme.
In order to ensure that industrial partners' needs are met we have set up an innovative Industry Partnership Programme. For companies interested in participating please contact C. Nikolaou on secretariat@prion2009.com or telephone +30 (2310) 997720.
Insurance
The registration fees do not include the insurance of participants against personal accidents, sickness, cancellations by any party, theft, loss or damage to personal possessions. Participants are advised to take out adequate personal insurance to cover travel, accommodation, cancellation and personal effects.
Language
The language of the Congress is English.
Letters of Invitation
Delegates requiring a letter of invitation to attend the Congress should write to the Congress Organisers. Please note that a letter of invitation will be provided to assist delegates in obtaining a visa or permission to attend the Congress and should not be considered as an official invitation covering fees and other expenses.
Location
Chalkidiki or Halkidiki as some know it is a three-pronged peninsula, located in Northern Greece, roughly in the center of Macedonia. To the North it shares borders with the prefecture of Thessaloniki the country's second largest city. To the South, East and West Chalkidiki juts into the Aegean Sea. The main peninsula terminates in three smaller ones, namely Kassandra, Sithonia and Mount Athos, well known as the Holy Mountain (an independent administrative district). Its winding coastline is marked by four sizeable gulfs - the Thermaic Gulf to the west, the Gulf of Orfanou to the east as well as the Gulf of Toroni and the Mt Athos Gulf in the south. According to latest statistical data of the National Statistical Services, Chalkidiki has a population of about 80,000 inhabitants. The capital city is Polygyros. The vast majority of the locals are Christian Orthodox and the currency is Euro since 1 January 2001.
The prefecture of Chalkidiki covers an area of 2,886 sq km. Its special shape resembles a trident piercing the Aegean. Due to the area's geomorphology, Chalkidiki has the longest stretch of coastline in mainland Greece, estimated to be more than 500 km of sandy beaches and attractive bays. To the north of the coastal region the country becomes mountainous.
Chalkidiki can be easily accessed by car and bus, with regular bus schedules. It is also very close to Thessaloniki (60 km) and the airport Macedonia. The road network is among the best in Northern Greece. The climate in Chalkidiki is generally mild with limited rainfall whilst sunshine and warm summers are well known. It enjoys over 300 days or around 3,000 hours of sunshine on average annually. In the northern part of the area the number slightly decreases. Average temperatures display limited fluctuations during the year. Naturally, fluctuations are more vigorous from south to north. The lowest temperatures occur during December to February ranging between 3.5°C to 19°C, while highest temperatures occur during summer months and range between 23°C and 34°C. Temperatures below 0°C are limited in the mountainous areas.
The whole region is heavily wooded with pines and olive trees, while inland there are vineyards and fertile farmlands. There are no rivers in Chalkidiki, which is said to be the reason why the sea is so blue and clean (with 41 E.U. blue flag awards). The chief occupations of the people of Chalkidiki are farming, fishing and tourism. The main farming products are wine, honey, olives and oil.
Rapid tourism development nationally, also affected Chalkidiki. By exploiting its resources, natural beauties, warm climate, culture and history it managed to develop tourism quite rapidly and is now established as a successful tourist destination.
Thessaloniki (Greek: Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia, the nation's largest region. It is honorarily called the Symprotevousa (lit. co-capital) of Greece, as it was once called the symbasilevousa (co-queen) of the Byzantine Empire. It is the largest city in the wider geographical region of Macedonia. The Thessaloniki Urban Area extends around the Thermaic Gulf for approximately 17 kilometres (11 mi) and comprises 16 municipalities. According to the 2001 census, the municipality of Thessaloniki had a population of 363,987, while the metropolitan population has approximately one million inhabitants.
The city was founded around 315 BC by the King Cassander of Macedon, on or near the site of the ancient town of Therma and twenty-six other local villages. He named it after his wife Thessalonike, a half-sister of Alexander the Great (Thessalo-nikē means the "victory of Thessalians"). It was an autonomous part of the Kingdom of Macedon. After the fall of the kingdom of Macedon in 168 BC, Thessalonica became a city of the Roman Republic. It grew to be an important trade-hub located on the Via Egnatia and facilitating trade between Europe and Asia.
Thessaloniki is Greece's second major economic, industrial, commercial and political centre, and a major transportation hub for the rest of southeastern Europe; its commercial port is also of great importance for Greece and its southeast European hinterland. It has been traditional for the country's Prime Minister to set out his government's policies for each coming year in a speech at the annual Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.
Thessaloniki retains several Ottoman and Jewish structures as well as a large number of Byzantine architectural monuments.
Passports and Visas
A valid passport or I.D. card (E.U. residents only) is required for entry to Greece. Please contact your nearest Greek Consulate or Embassy for specific details and Visa requirements.
For further information on Chalkidiki and Thessaloniki please visit: