Updated on June 5, 2018

Press Manual

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1. General Information

1.1. Official program

Press contacts

OAS Press and Communications Department
Telephone: 1‐202‐370‐5437
Fax: 1‐202‐458‐6813
Email: [email protected]

The forty‐eighth regular session of the General Assembly will be held on June 4 and 5, 2018, at the headquarters of the Organization of American States in Washington, DC.

The Official Program of activities of the General Assembly is available on the OAS Web page: www.oas.org (click on "General Assembly") or directly at www.oas.org/en/48ga.


1.2. Languages and work documents

The official languages for the work of the General Assembly are: Spanish, French, English and Portuguese.

The work sessions of the General Assembly will offer interpreting services in these languages.

Furthermore, sound distribution of the inaugural and plenary sessions of the General Assembly will be made in the above‐mentioned languages.

Official documents in the four official languages of the General Assembly will be available on the OAS General Assembly webpage, and hardcopies will be made available in the International Media Center upon request.

Journalists are advised to bring laptops and earphones should they wish to hear audio of General Assembly meetings in one of the other official languages of the OAS by accessing the live Webcast. Handheld translation audio devices will not be made available to the media.


1.3. Headquarters of the General Assembly

The 48th General Assembly of the Organization of American States (OAS) will take place on June 4 and 5, 2018, at the headquarters of the Organization of American States located at 17th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006.


1.4. OAS Member States

Antigua and Barbuda
Argentina
Barbados
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada
Chile
Colombia
Costa Rica
Cuba*
Dominica
Dominican Republic		 Ecuador
El Salvador
Grenada
Guatemala
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
Jamaica
Mexico
Nicaragua
Panama
Paraguay
Peru		 Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Suriname
The Bahamas (Commonwealth of)
Trinidad and Tobago
United States of America
Uruguay
Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)

* On June 3, 2009, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Americas adopted resolution GA/RES. 2438 (XXXIX‐O/09), which resolves that the Resolution from 1962 through which the Government of Cuba was excluded from participating in the inter‐American system is without effect in the Organization of American States (OAS). The 2009 resolution declares that the participation of the Republic of Cuba in the OAS will be the result of a process of dialogue to begin at the request of the Government of the Republic of Cuba and in conformity with the practices, goals, and principles of the OAS.

2. Press accreditation and information prior to the event

2.1. Accreditation

Requests for accreditation will be accepted from May 10 until May 30. To receive accreditation; the applicant must fill out a form found on the OAS webpage at http://www.oas.org/en/48ga/press_manual.asp.

Once the required information is received and processed, the applicant will receive an email concerning acceptance and approval of accreditation.


2.2. Requirements

Requests for accreditation must be made individually, only online and must be made through the OAS General Secretariat. Each request must include a digitalized (PDF) note no larger than 1Mb from the director of the media company requesting accreditation that must indicate the name and function of the press official to be accredited.

Furthermore, the applicant must include a recent passport-sized color photograph in JPEG format.

All media representatives are requested to provide all the information indicated on the form in order to obtain their credentials. At the time of registration the applicant must enter a personal e-mail.


2.3. Picking up your credentials

The delivery of press credentials will take place at the Salon Gabriela Mistral located at the GSB Building of the General Secretariat of the OAS at 1889 F St. NW Washington DC as follows;

  • Thursday, May 31 to Saturday, June 02 from 09:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 (local time)
  • Sunday, June 03 to Monday June 04 from 08:00 to 13:00 and 14:00 to 17:00 (local time)
  • Tuesday, June 05 from 8:00 to 12:00 (local time)

For reasons of security and access, members of the press MUST present this letter to enter the Accreditation Center.

During the General Assembly, in addition to the OAS‐issued press credentials, members of the press must present their own identification card issued by the media organization they represent. They must visibly display these two documents (OAS credential and media identification) on their persons in order to obtain access to the meetings and events to which they have been invited.


2.4. Requirements for entering and leaving the country

Citizens of some countries of the hemisphere do not need visas to enter United States. If you require a visa, the US Government recommends that the process be carried out at the US embassy closest to your home. For more information visit: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english.html.


 2.5. Security and technical inspection

For security reasons, press equipment will be inspected before coverage of the various meetings, which is why we request that you arrive at least one hour in advance.

Journalists must restrict their movement to press‐authorized areas, except when appropriate times are set up for photographs and video with the assistance of personnel from the OAS Press Department.


2.6. Press conferences

  • All press conferences held during the General Assembly will take place in a room designated for the purpose.
  • Press conferences will have interpretation in Spanish and English.
  • At the end of the press conference, video, audio, photographs and press releases will be made available.


2.7. Advisories and Press Communications

All official documents, advisories, press releases, photo galleries and announcements will be published on the official website of the General Assembly www.oas.org/en/48ga) and sent to the media representatives to the email address given on the press credential application.  If you would like to receive the communications at some other email address, please write to [email protected].

To receive updates on events, announcements, photographs and press releases from the General Assembly, follow @OASofficial on Twitter and/or #OEA_48AG and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OASofficial.

3. Areas and services for the media


3.1. International Media Center

Media representatives with General Assembly credentials will have access to the International Media Center. It will be located on the ground floor of the headquarters of the OAS; will be open on:

  • Sunday, June 3 from 08:00 (Local time) until 19:00.
  • Monday, June 4 from 07:00 (Local time) until the end of the day.
  • Tuesday, June 5 from 08:00 (Local time) until the end of the day.

This center will offer the following services:

  • Wireless Internet (Wi-Fi). Connectivity in the OAS historic building can be limited at times. If you need a special bandwidth (for the transmission of high-resolution pictures or videos), you should use your own equipment for Internet access (hotspot).
  • Closed circuit television to monitor the transmission. The inaugural meeting and the plenaries will be broadcast live in the International Media Center. Sound will be original language from the plenary hall. To hear interpretation you will need to connect via webcast http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/webcast_schedule.asp
  • Electricity voltage in the United States is: 120 volts AC, 60 Hz.
  • The radio and television transimission center will have a video signal on the screen and original audio. There will be an audio box with 20 outputs in the original language.
  • To request high-definition video, contact Mr. Ernesto Cossich at [email protected]


3.2. Internet

The OAS, through its webpage (www.oas.org) and the official webpage of the General Assembly
www.oas.org/en/48ga, will provide live webcast services of the meetings of the Foreign Ministers, the Opening Ceremony, the Plenary Sessions and the Press Conferences in the four official languages of the OAS. The videos will be available on the webpage http://www.oas.org/en/media_center/videos.asp


3.3. Plenary Sessions and Press Conferences

If you wish to link the webcast to your website, please send an email to: [email protected] and/or contact Ernesto Cossich ([email protected]). Radio and television stations that wish to air the webcast signal are authorized to do so.

The OAS, at http://www.flickr.com/photos/oasoea/, will have galleries of high resolution photographs from the General Assembly that you may publish with due credit. Similarly, official documents, draft resolutions, reports, speeches, press releases and other documents will become immediately available on the Assembly’s Web page.


3.4. Photographers and cameramen/women

Photographers and cameramen/women will be allowed to take images of particular events to be announced in due time. Among them are the following:

  • Inaugural ceremony
  • First plenary session on each of the two days of the General Assembly
  • Closing ceremony
  • Closing ceremony press conference


3.5. Press “pools”

If necessary, press "pools" are groups of limited size of media representatives (photographers and camera operators) who will be granted access to those events in which space is limited in order to capture images. The makeup of these “pools” will be announced in due time.


3.6. Official photograph

The official photograph will be taken on Monday, June 4 at 15:45 (local time) in the forecourt of the headquarters of the OAS.


3.7 Official radio and TV signal

OAS will operate as the host channel for the Assembly, distributing the signal to all other channels.

CONTACTS for the official signal: Ernesto Cossich [email protected] 

In the Press Room service is available for audio and video signal plenary sessions. Journalists are responsible for any needed cables and/or adapters.

4. Hotels and Interesting Tips

4.1. Recommended Hotels for the press

Name Contact Information

Avenue Suites

Phone: 202-464-5603
Address: 2500 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20037
http://www.avenuesuites.com

River Inn

Phone: 202-342-2239
Address: 924 25th Street NW, Washington, District of Columbia 20037
http://www.theriverinn.com/

The One Washington Circle & George Washington University Inn

Phone: 202-730-1262
Address: One Washington Circle, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
http://www.thecirclehotel.com/ 
http://www.gwuinn.com/

The Normandy Hotel

Phone: 202-448-1771
http://www.thenormandydc.com/

The Quincy Hotel

Phone: 202-827-8222
http://www.thequincy.com/

Holiday Inn Capitol by the Smithsonian Museums and L'Enfant Plaza

Phone: 202-479-4000
Address: 550 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20024
www.ihg.com

InterContinental – The Willard

Phones: (202) 628-9100 / (800) 496 7621
Address: 1401 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20004
http://www.ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/washington/washa/hoteldetail

Crowne Plaza – The Hamilton

Phone: 202-682-0111
Address: 1001 14th Street NW Washington DC 20005
http://www.ihg.com/crowneplaza/hotels/us/en/washington/wasks/hoteldetail
 

5. Useful information

5.1 Vaccination

To find if you need special vaccinations to enter the country visit:
http://www.cdc.gov/immigrantrefugeehealth/laws-regs/vaccination-immigration/revised-vaccination-immigration-faq.html.


6. Agenda

6.1 Activities prior to the start of the General Assembly

Sunday, June 3
9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Dialogue of representatives of civil society organizations and other actors with heads of delegation, the Secretary General, and the Assistant Secretary General

Place: Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
2:30 - 5:30 p.m. CIM: closed meeting

Place: Guerrero Room, Main Building, OAS


6.2 Agenda: Start of the General Assembly

Monday, June 4
8:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Registration of participants

Room TL-76, OAS General Services Building, 1889 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006
9:00 - 9:45 a.m. INAUGURAL SESSION

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
10:00 a.m. First PLENARY SESSION

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
  1. Election of the President of the General Assembly
  2. Adoption of the draft agenda
  3. Adoption of the draft schedule
  4. Adoption of the agreements reached by the Preparatory Committee
    • Report of the Chair
  5. Report of the Secretary General on credentials
  6. Installation of the General Committee
  7. Assignment of topics and election of the Chair of the General Committee
10:30 a.m. Second PLENARY SESSION

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
  1. Annual Report of the Permanent Council to the General Assembly (2017-2018)
    • Draft declarations and draft resolutions agreed upon by the Permanent Council
  2. Presentation by the Chair of the Inter-American Council for Integral Development
  3. Dialogue of heads of delegation
10:30 a.m. First meeting of the GENERAL COMMITTEE

Simón Bolívar Room, Main Building, OAS
1:00 - 3:30 p.m. Lunch/Private Dialogue of the heads of delegation with the Secretary General and the Assistant Secretary General 

Place: Rubén Darío Room, General Services Building (GSB)
3:45 p.m. Official photograph of the heads of delegation

Behind OAS Main Building
4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Second PLENARY SESSION (continued)

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS

Dialogue of heads of delegation (continued)
2:30 p.m. Second meeting of the GENERAL COMMITTEE

Simón Bolívar Room, Main Building, OAS
Tuesday, June 5
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Registration of participants

Room TL-76, OAS General Services Building, 1889 F Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20006
9:00 a.m. Third meeting of the GENERAL COMMITTEE

Simón Bolívar Room, Main Building, OAS
10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Third PLENARY SESSION

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
  1. Dialogue of heads of delegation (continued)
3:00 p.m. Fourth PLENARY SESSION

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
  1. The Question of the Malvinas Islands
  2. Presentation by the Chair of the Inter-American Juridical Committee
  3. Presentation by the Chair of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights
  4. Presentation by the President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
  5. Presentation by the President of the Inter-American Commission of Women
  6. Election of officers of organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization:
    • Three members of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
    • Three members of the Inter-American Juridical Committee
    • Two members of the Justice Studies Center of the Americas
    • One member of the Administrative Tribunal of the OAS
    • One member of the Board of External Auditors to Examine the Accounts of the General Secretariat
  7. Report of the General Committee
  8. Determination of the venue and date of the forty-ninth regular session of the General Assembly
6:00 p.m. CLOSING SESSION
Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS

CLOSING PRESS CONFERENCE
San Martín Room, Main Building, OAS

 

6.3 Parallel activities of the General Assembly

Sunday, June 3
3:00 – 6:30 p.m. Leading environmental justice in the Americas

Art Museum of the Americas
Monday, June 4
12:30 p.m. Dedication ceremony for the Juan Pablo Duarte Room

Room 804 General Secretariat Building (GSB)
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. Cybersecurity and its importance to the consolidation of democracy in the Americas

Art Museum of the Americas
Tuesday, June 5
9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Ministerial-Level Meeting of the Summit Implementation Review Group (SIRG)

Hall of the Americas, Main Building, OAS
1:00 - 2:30 p.m. Lunch Dialogue of the heads of delegation, the Secretary General, and the Assistant Secretary General with the heads of delegation of the permanent observers

Hall of the Americas