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The ESF will take place in the Fortezza de Basso in Central Florence from Wednesday 6 to Sunday 10 November. We've found a site with useful tourist maps of Florence - the Fortezza is on map four.

Keep checking the Mobilisation for the ESF website, it is getting constantly updated with details and facts, tips and ideas: www.mobilise.org.uk.

Travel Options
By far the cheapest way to get there (apart from the environmental impact, another reason to fight capitalism!) is by air. RyanAir fly to Pisa, Bologna (Forli), Venice, Rome, Genoa and Verona. Alitalia fly to Pisa and sometimes to Florence itself. Go do some flights locally. All are within four hours of Florence by train.

If you are travelling to Pisa on Tuesday night, you will get in after the last train for Florence, we have arranged with activists in Pisa accommodation over night, and then to join them on a protest at Camp Darby, a US airbase nearby in the morning - more on that later. Please contact the office if you are on the RyanAir flight to Pisa that gets in around or after 9pm, or will be in Pisa that night - Tuesday 5 November.

Border Controls
The Schengen Agreement has not been suspended for the duration of the ESF. However, the Italian Government have announced tightening up of border checks - and this includes airports. So, make sure all your papers are in order. If you need a visa get one in advance, if you're unsure if you need one or not ring the Italian High Commission 24hr visa information line on 0906 550 8984 - be careful, it charges �1 a minute. Don't bring anything illegal with you to Italy - it is possible you will be searched. If you are stopped insist that you have the right to phone for assistance. Don't be provoked by the police or� agents provocateurs.

If you have any problems at the border, phone Alfio on 0039 338 486 3171.
Note this is corrected version of the number.

Accommodation
The address of the free sleeping bag spaces for UK participants is the Palazzetto della Sport, Campo di Marte. It's a very large indoor sports hall with facilities like showers and toilets. You can get there on the number 10 bus (from outside the main train station), but you need to register at the ESF first (see below.) Please note that registration closes every day at 7:30 pm. Also note that there is no smoking and no alcohol at the accommodation. If you have registered and not heard of rooms you requested, please get in touch with the ESF agency asap. Ring 0039 055260 8949 and ask for Laura or Leonardo, they should be able to help you! There are still rooms available independently in Florence - check out the Italian Tourist board or guide books for ideas.

Registration
You should register when you get to Florence if you haven't done so already - don't register by post, it's too late. The cost depends on your income - it's �6.80 (10 euros) if you earn less than �658 a month, �19 (30 euros) if you earn �658 to �1974 per month, or �32 (50 euros) if you earn more than �1974.

Registration is at Palazzo degli Affari in the Piazza Adua between the station and the Fortress - you need to go to register or pick up your pass if you have already registered.

Convergence
So as to help GR members and others from the UK find their way about, we will be organising a regular convergence where you can find other people and get information. We expect the first one will be on the evening of Wednesday 6 November at the UK section of the main accommodation area. We'll confirm details soon.

Programme
Full details of the programme are now available. The basic picture is as follows:

Wednesday 6 November	6pm, Piazza Santa Croce Evening opening ceremony with street theatre highlighting the plight of migrants. Dario Fo and Franca Rama are involved in this project, it promises to be a pretty memorable to start the event.
Thursday 7 November to Saturday 9 November	Conferences, discussions, workshops The Fringe: Every night, when the Fortezza Da Basso closes, piazzas and squares across the city will come alive to the sound of music debate �discussion and other such cultural pastimes such as drinking and singing. Different organisations will have marquees in the town - a guide will be available when we get there.
Saturday 9 November	The first European wide antiwar demo. Two starting places thanks to the anticipated numbers, marching to a massive gig to close the whole event. Form affinity groups either with people you are staying with or people from your home town. Stick together. Have contact phone numbers. Anti-war demo leaflet to download.
Sunday 10 November	Meeting of the European Social Movements. This will discuss how to organise for four key events: the EU summit in Copenhagen, Denmark - 12-13 December 2002, protests from 13-15 December the G8 meeting in Evian, France - early June 2003 the EU summit in Thessaloniki, Greece - June 2003 the WTO meeting in Canc�n, Mexico - 10-14 September 2003 There will also be discussion of actions we can take against the war - a Europe-wide anti-war day is being planned.

How to Contact Us
We will have a stall at the main conference venue, the Fortezza de Basso in Central Florence. It will be in the Conference and Catering area. We'll make sure people are there for most of the time to deal with queries.

We have access to an Italian mobile phone - from the UK ring 0039 329 7643 813.

After the ESF
Reportback meeting with Walden Bello, a key figure in the World Social Forum, and with Rafaella Bolini from the Italian Social Forum, also English activists. 3pm, London School of Economics (Holborn tube.) Organised by GR.