![\"confimage1216aw\"](\"http:\/\/iarpp.net\/thesite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/confimage1216Aw.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
By Cathy Hicks<\/strong> (Australia) and Sarah Calvert <\/strong>(New Zealand), We are delighted to welcome IARPP members to our 14th\u00a0Annual International Conference, being held in Sydney, Australia, from May 25-28<\/span><\/span>!<\/p>\n To register for the conference, go to http:\/\/www.iarppsydney2017.com\/registration<\/a>.<\/p>\n The program is rich, diverse and exciting \u2013 click here: We\u2019d also like to share some things you might not know about visiting Australia, what you might expect weather-wise, and what else is happening. First, did you know that everyone who comes to Australia (except for those in New Zealand) needs a Visa<\/strong>? It\u2019s a simple process to apply for one, but don\u2019t forget to do so. Speak to your travel agent, have a look at https:\/\/www.border.gov.au\/Trav\/Visi\/Visi<\/a>, or simply Google the Australian Consulate website in your country of residence and they will tell you what you need to know. And if you need a letter of invitation contact the conference secretariat at iarpp2017@dcconferences.com.au<\/a>.<\/p>\n Temperatures<\/strong> in Sydney in May usually hover around 16\u00b0C (that\u2019s about 61\u00b0F). Although it rains occasionally, we average six hours of sunshine per day. It can be windy, so a warm coat will be useful.<\/p>\n Australia is a huge country, with 2500 miles between east and west. So unless you\u2019re planning to stay for longer than a few days, you may not get to Uluru (3.5 hour flight) or the Great Barrier Reef (3 hour flight), although it is the best time of year to visit these places. But there\u2019s a lot to see and do both in Sydney itself, and in the surrounding region. Have a look at http:\/\/www.iarppsydney2017.com\/destination\/host-city-sydney<\/a> and http:\/\/www.iarppsydney2017.com\/destination\/whats-on<\/a> for some ideas of what to do in Sydney. And if you\u2019d like to do a short trip, you\u2019ll find ideas at http:\/\/www.iarppsydney2017.com\/travel\/travel-in-australia<\/a>. The Hunter Valley and the Blue Mountains are especially great to visit.<\/p>\n We look forward to welcoming you to Sydney in May, and hope that you will have the chance to experience a conference in which you will be enriched and challenged by the new thoughts and ideas that you will encounter, that you will reconnect with old friends and make new ones, and above all, that you will encounter the spirit of acceptance and embrace that characterizes IARPP.<\/p>\n Remember, registration is now open at http:\/\/www.iarppsydney2017.com\/registration<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sarah Calvert, Cathy Hicks<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5433,"menu_order":3,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"issuem_issue":[54],"issuem_issue_categories":[15],"issuem_issue_tags":[],"class_list":["post-5376","article","type-article","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","issuem_issue-volume-16-number-1-may-2017","issuem_issue_categories-featured-articles"],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nConference Co-chairs<\/p>\n
\nhttp:\/\/www.iarppsydney2017.com\/program\/conference-events\/year.listevents\/2017\/03\/27\/-<\/a>]\nif you\u2019d like to look at our most up-to-the-minute schedule.<\/p>\n![\"sydneyconfimage0317writersfestivalw\"](\"http:\/\/iarpp.net\/thesite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/sydneyconfimage0317writersfestivalw.jpg\")
The Sydney Writers Festival<\/strong> <\/a>will be on while you\u2019re here. It runs from May 22-28, and this year\u2019s program is published on their website.<\/a> Previous international guests have included Gloria Steinem, Julian Barnes, Jonathan Franzen,\u00a0Alan Cumming, Alice Walker, William Boyd, Eleanor Catton, A.M. Homes, Roddy Doyle, Claire Messud, James Wood, Jeanette Winterson, Fatima Bhutto, Hanya Yanagihara, and many more.\u00a0The program \u2013 with over 300 events, many of which are free to attend \u2013 features writers from various forms and backgrounds, including the best contemporary novelists, screenwriters, musicians, and writers of cutting edge nonfiction, along with some of the world’s leading public intellectuals, scientists, and journalists. Keep checking their website https:\/\/www.swf.org.au\/<\/a> for further information. And you can watch a short video about the festival at https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=aVO894DYJNE<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"sydneyconfimage0317vividsydneyw\"](\"http:\/\/iarpp.net\/thesite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/sydneyconfimage0317vividsydneyw.jpg\")
One of the most exciting Sydney events is Vivid Sydney<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 a unique annual event of light, music and ideas, featuring an outdoor \u201cgallery\u201d of extraordinary lighting sculptures, a cutting-edge contemporary music program, and of course, the spectacular illumination of the Sydney Opera House sails. The multi-award-winning festival of light, music, and ideas illuminates Sydney every year with exciting new precincts to explore, mesmerizing new light art to inspire and plenty of entertainment for everyone \u2013 and it\u2019s free! This spectacular festival has grown into the largest of its kind in the world. In 2017, Vivid will be bigger and better than ever, offering an expanded program of multi-genre music, more stimulating ideas from global thinkers and creators, plus dazzling light art across the city. We\u2019re thrilled to let you know that the opening night of Vivid will happen while you\u2019re here, on Friday May 26. Although the guided walk that we\u2019re offering was booked out almost immediately, you can download a map from the Vivid website https:\/\/www.vividsydney.com\/<\/a> in early May and plan a self-guided walk to see the amazing installations.<\/p>\n![\"hicksphoto1216w\"](\"http:\/\/iarpp.net\/thesite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/hicksphoto1216w.jpg\")
Catherine Hicks PhD
\n<\/strong>P O Box 1719, Neutral Bay Junction,
\nNSW 2089, Australia
\nEmail Catherine Hicks<\/a> also at Conference email<\/a>
\n<\/a>website: www.wycombeclinic.com<\/a><\/p>\n![\"calvertphoto1216w\"](\"http:\/\/iarpp.net\/thesite\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/12\/calvertphoto1216w.jpg\")
Sarah Calvert, PhD
\n<\/strong>1602 18 Beach Rd,
\nAuckland New Zealand 1010
\nEmail Sarah Calvert<\/a>
\n<\/a>Website: http:\/\/millenniumconsulting.co.nz<\/a><\/p>\n