Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Meeting venue

How many people will attend?
About 300 international and Mexican participants will attend Rivers for Life 3. Food and accommodations will be provided for all registered participants. Unfortunately, we will not be able to provide food and accommodations to non-registered participants due to limitations of the meeting venue, accommodations and funding.

Why was this venue chosen?
Temacapulín was chosen as the venue for Rivers for Life 3 after a long decision-making process by the international Steering Committee helping to organize this meeting. Steering Committee members felt that holding the meeting in a village directly threatened by a dam would help to strengthen relationships amongst dam-affected people and their allies, and would strengthen the local campaign to stop the Zapotillo Dam.

In addition, Mexican organizers at IMDEC, Otros Mundos, Mapder and communities affected by Zapotillo have significant experience organizing large meetings in Temacapulín.

Local logistics

What food will be provided?
We will provide three meals a day for 300 registered participants. A typical meal could consist of tortillas (flat bread made of corn), beans and enchiladas (tortillas rolled and filled with cheese, meat or vegetables). We will provide several types of food: regular, vegetarian and meals without pork.

Describe the accommodations.
Accommodations will be provided for roughly 300 registered international and Mexican participants. Accommodations will be comfortable but simple. The people of Temacapulín are graciously offering space in their homes, guesthouses and hotels for participants. In some cases, participants will sleep on mattresses on the floors of people's homes. Several people of the same gender will sleep in the same room. Toilets and running water are available. A few small family-run shops and restaurants are located in the village. More information will be sent out to registered participants closer to the meeting date.

How will I get to the meeting site?
When you register for the meeting, be sure to include your flight details and arrival time into Guadalajara International Airport. We will arrange for shuttles to take you from the airport directly to Temacapulín, which is located about two hours away. People will greet you with signs after you exit the customs area.

Please remember to schedule your flight to arrive in Guadalajara, Mexico before 6pm on October 1 and to depart after 2pm on October 7.

If you miss the greeter for some unforseen reason, there is a public bus to Temacapulín.

What will the weather be like?
Temacapulín is situated about 2 hours northeast of Guadalajara, in Jalisco state. In October, temperatures typically range in the 60s-70s°F (17-22°C) during the day and 50s°F (10-13°C) at night. Be sure to bring some long pants, a sweater and a jacket. Average rainfall in October is about 2 inches (50mm).

Will there be access to phones and internet?
Communications are limited from Temacapulín. There is no access for cellular phones. There is a phone service available in the town. You will be responsible for the costs of your own phone calls. IMDEC is investigating options for establishing internet connection during our meeting.

What is the voltage?
The voltage for electronic equipment is 110/120 volts. Receptacles are the same as in the US. 

What access is there to medical facilities?
Access to medical care in Temacapulín is limited. A first aid kit will be provided and IMDEC is investigating the possibility of having a team of doctors available during the meeting. A medical clinic is located a half hour drive from Temacapulín. Large hospitals are located two hours away by car. If you have a special medical condition, please be sure to note this when you register for the meeting.

What to bring

Clothing
The climate will be warm during the day and chilly at night. There is a chance it could rain during the meeting. We encourage you to bring a warm sweater, jacket or raincoat and an umbrella.

Toiletries
Remember to bring medicine that you normally use and personal hygiene items – soap, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. Bring a towel. We recommend that you bring mosquito repellent.

Currency
The currency in Mexico is the peso. We recommend that you convert money into pesos at airports or border crossings. The typical exchange rate for the US dollar to Mexican pesos is about 13 pesos, and about 18 pesos for one euro.

Important contacts

Steering Committee

Africa
Sena Alouka, Young Volunteers for the Environment, Togo. Email: alouka_josue@yahoo.fr

Robert Kugonza, Africa Rivers Network, Uganda. Email: robertk@nape.or.ug

Middle East/Central Asia
Ercan Ayboga, Initiative to Save Hasankeyf, Turkey/Germany. Email: e.ayboga@gmx.net

Catriona Vine, Kurdish Human Rights Project, UK. Email: cvine@khrp.org

South Asia
Lata Anantha, River Research Centre, India. Email: rrckerala@gmail.com

Southeast Asia
Tek Vannara, Culture and Environment Preservation Association, Cambodia. Email: tek@cepa-cambodia.org

Central America
Gustavo Castro Soto, Otros Mundos, Chiapas, Mexico. Email: guscastro@laneta.apc.org

South America
Luiz dalla Costa, Brazilian Movement of Dam-Affected People, Brazil. Email: mab@mabnacional.org.br

Eastern Europe
Roberto Epple, European Rivers Network, France. Email: roberto.epple@ern.org

International Coordinators
Susanne Wong, Berklee Lowrey-Evans and Aviva Imhof, International Rivers, USA. Email: riversforlife3@internationalrivers.org.

Mexico
Carmen Diaz and Marco von Borstel, Mexican Institute for Community Development. info@riosparalavida3.org

Visas

For information about visas, visit our Visa and Travel Information page. If you cannot find the answers you need, write to visas@riosparalavida3.org.

If you have questions about local logistics not answered above, write to logistica@riosparalavida3.org.

For general information about the meeting, write to riversforlife3@internationalrivers.org.