ABOUT LONDON

Place
London is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its founding by the Romans, who called it Londinium. London's ancient core, the City of London, largely retains its square-mile medieval boundaries. Since at least the 19th century, the name London has also referred to the metropolis developed around this core.
London is a leading global city, with strengths in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism and transport all contributing to its prominence. It is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York City and has the largest city GDP in Europe.
It has the most international visitors of any city in the world and London Heathrow is the world's busiest airport by number of international passengers. London's 43 universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutions in Europe. In 2012 London will become the first city to host the modern Summer Olympic Games three times.
London has a diverse range of peoples, cultures and religions and more than 300 languages are spoken within its boundaries.
London contains four World Heritage Sites: the Tower of London; Kew Gardens; the site comprising the Palace of Westminster, Westminster Abbey, and St Margaret's Church Other famous landmarks include Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Piccadilly Circus, 30 St Mary Axe ("The Gherkin"), St Paul's Cathedral, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Wembley Stadium. London is home to numerous museums, galleries, libraries, sporting events and other cultural sites. The London Underground network is the oldest underground railway network in the world and the most extensive after the Shanghai Metro.

Venue (click for map)

Church House Conference Centre Westminster 
The original Church House was founded in 1887 and built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria. In 1931 plans were prepared to erect a new Church House in its place that was more in keeping with the needs of the time. However, it was considered that it would not be appropriate to proceed due to the world recession and plans were put in abeyance until 1937.
The current building was designed by the renowned architect, Sir Herbert Baker, and the foundation stone was laid by Her Majesty, Queen Mary on 26 June 1937. It took until 1940 to complete and was officially opened by His Majesty, King George Vl, on 10 June 1940.
The building suffered a direct hit in the early part of WWII but due to its exceptional construction only minimal damage was done. The Prime Minister of the day, Winston Churchill, was so impressed by this that the building was refurbished for use by the two Houses of Parliament for the remainder of the war. Many historic speeches and events took place within the building during this time, in particular the announcement, by Churchill from the stage of the Hoare Memorial Hall, of the sinking of the battleship Bismarck.
In 1945 the first meetings of the United Nations Preparatory Commission and Security Council were held in the Hoare Memorial Hall. The building was granted Grade II listed status in 1988 with the present Conference Centre opening officially on 19 November 1990. In 2006 the Conference Centre underwent a major refurbishment with the reconfiguration of the large Assembly Hall to a more flexible event space seating up to 664 for a conference or 372 for a seated dinner.


Transportation
Centrally located in the heart of Westminster, Church House Conference Centre is perfectly situated to enjoy local attractions including Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye. Excellent transport links from within London and outside the capital make Church House one of the most accessible venues in central London. More information about transport in London can be found below under "Helpful Links".

Insurance
The Organizing Committee can accept no responsibility for accidents or damage to the private property of participants. Please make your own arrangements for health insurance and any other insurance desired.

Passport and VISA requirements
To find out if you require a VISA we kindly ask you to visit the official website of the UK Border Agency.
For a "letter of invitation" please contact the Scientific Secretariat

Language
English is the official language of the meeting. There will be no simultaneous translation.

Helpful links:
* Getting around in London (by tube, by bus and walking) - Transport for London
* Official London City Guide
* UK Border Agency