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Kyoto International Conference Center
 The Seventh Annual Conference of the International Competition Network will be held at the Kyoto International Conference Center, which opened in 1966 as Japan's first national conference center. The 40-year history of the Kyoto International Conference Center reads like a history of the international conferences that have been held in Japan. To this day, the center has played host to over 16,000 conferences and events.
Perhaps the center's greatest claim to fame was to serve as
the forum for the 3rd Session of the Conference of the Parties
to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(COP3) in 1997. The outcome of this convention was the adoption
of the Kyoto Protocol, named after the venue for the convention,
which stipulated that advanced countries should reduce their
amount of greenhouse gas emissions to their 1990 levels during
the period 2008‘2012.
The center has also hosted several other major international conferences, including the 3rd World Water Forum in 2003 which drew some 24,000 participants from 182 countries and regions around the globe.
Location
The Kyoto International Conference Center is located in the Takaragaike district of north Kyoto. The center lies at the foot of the evergreen Mt. Hiei and is enveloped by the constantly changing natural beauty of the four seasons.
The center faces the Takaragaike pond which was originally constructed for irrigation purposes in the 1750s. Today the large pond forms part of a parkland which welcomes visitors to the center.
The center is set in grounds which stretch some 156,000 square meters, and all buildings in the grounds are dedicated to conference facilities. The tranquil setting ensures that participants are able to concentrate solely on the conference they are attending without worrying about distractions from the nearby bustling city. The center also boasts a high level of security further easing the concerns of conference participants.
The most convenient way to reach the center by public transport is by taking the Subway Karasuma line from Kyoto's main station. The nearest station to the center is Kokusaikaikan Station-the final stop on the Karasuma line, and a journey of only 20 minutes from Kyoto Station. A roofed walkway leads from the station to the conference center, so visitors need not worry about rain or other inclement weather conditions.
Architectural Features
The center has been designed in both trapezoid and reverse-trapezoid configurations. Some the buildings have sharply sloping roofs, while others have been designed to resemble traditional Japanese shrines, lending a traditional feel to the entire center. The visual appearance of the center never fails to make an impression on visitors.
The center constitutes an architectural space that exudes the modern architectural aesthetic of the 1960s, and comprises a host of originally-designed and sophisticated structures. With its close proximity to the historic city of Kyoto and its harmonious natural surroundings, the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has designated the center among its 100 Selected Pieces of Public Architecture.
 While much of the center is given over to different conference spaces, another feature is that 70% of the interior of buildings are public spaces. Several comfortable lobbies and lounges have been provided for conference participants to gather for an informal chat or just relax after a particularly hard day.
Those parts of the center which face the Takaragaike pond have particularly large scale windows, and offer breathtaking vistas of the surrounding waterscapes which form the modern Japanese-style garden. And, of course, all conference participants are free to stroll around the grounds and catch a breath of fresh air. The grounds feature a traditional structure for the tea ceremony and painstaking care has been taken to create a space which skillfully blends Japanese and western, and traditional and modern elements-the perfect setting to clear one's head after a long day at the conference.
Spacious Conference Facilities with the Latest Digital Communications Equipment
The Kyoto International Conference Center comprises three buildings: the Main buildings, the Annex Hall and the Event Hall. They have halls which can comfortably accommodate over 2,000 participants, and are fully equipped with digitalized equipment and devices for simultaneous interpretation in 12 different languages. The center also houses over 60 smaller halls in addition to two major banquet halls.
 Some 600 fiber optic cables have been laid to ensure that the entire center provides fully digitalized audio, video and interpretation facilities. Indeed, the quality and reliability of the center's digital network system is on a par with those used by professional broadcast companies.
The center is also fully equipped with slopes for wheelchairs ensuring a completely barrier free environment for all participants. In addition, as the venue for the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, it is only fitting that the center utilizes some of the very latest energy saving technologies. These include a highly energy efficient power cogeneration system, and water purification and recycling systems.
Detailed Attention to Foods and Religious Practices
 The catering services at the center are provided by a dedicated company which has specialized in catering for conventions for the past 38 years. Along with making arrangements for international conferences, it is, of course, vital that careful attention be paid to what types of food are served. Some conventions demand that pork never be served, while others stipulate that beef or chicken can only be served if slaughtered according to accepted religious practices. Others even specify that only the meat of scaled fish may be eaten. These are just a small example of the strict observance of religious and traditional practices that the center undertakes.
The center takes as much care with the catering facilities and services it offers as with its actual conferencing facilities-from grand banqueting halls right down to the provision of quiet corners for a well-earned coffee break.
For further details on the Kyoto International Conference Center, please visit: http://www.icckyoto.or.jp/en/index.html
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