WIN'13 - 24^th International Workshop on Weak Interactions and Neutrinos

The XXIV Workshop on Weak Interactions and Neutrinos (WIN'13) will take place for the first time in Latin America, from September 16 to 21 in Natal, Brazil.

Known as the City of the Sun or City of the Dunes, Natal was named after the Portuguese word for Christmas, as it was established on December 25, 1599. It lies on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Potengi River, six degrees south of the equator. The northeastern tip of South America, Cape São Roque, 32 km to the north of Natal and the closest point to Europe from Latin America, was first visited by European navigators in 1501. So this is one of the oldest places in Brazil. If you stand in front of the beach, looking at the see in Natal, you are closer to Africa than to São Paulo and closer to Europe than to Argentina.

Natal starts its history with the construction of Reis Magos Fortress (The Magi Fortress) by the Portuguese in 1598. In 1633 the fortress was taken by the Dutch and the city is renamed New Amsterdam, name that remained up to 1654, when the Portuguese got it back. During the XVII century, pioneering expeditions left from the fortress to found villages that later originated the states of Ceará, Maranhão and Pará.

Natal was during World War II a military base for the Americans, as part of the so-called Operation Rainbow, and a stop for the French writer and aviator Saint-Exupéry. He cited the city's sunset on his book South Atlantic and the Baobab, African tree that has three specimen in Rio Grande do Norte State, in his most famous novel Le Petit Prince.

Several rooms have been pre-booked for the WIN'13 participants at Hotel Pestana localed at Via Costeira, a 10 km long avenue along the shore and the dunes. We have negociated with the hotel a special daily rate that include all meals and drinks. The hotel booking should be done through the travel agency JAX Events & Tours. The hotel will hold our reservation of rooms until August 13, after that rooms will not be guaranteed. It is hightly recommended you reserve your room as soon as possible.

Behind Hotel Pestana you will find Parque Estadual Dunas de Natal (Dunes Park), Brazil's second biggest urban park 8 km long and 1.8 km wide, the first one being Floresta da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro. Dunes Park is considered by UNESCO since 1993 part of the Brazilian Mata Atlântica Biosphere Reserve, a Humanity Environmental Patrimony.

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Travel Information

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Augusto Severo International Airport in Parnamirim is 18 km from Natal. There are non-stop flights from Lisbon in Europe. From the US there are flight from Miami to Recife or Salvador and then you must take a regional flight. The travel agency JAX Events & Tours can help you to book your flight. Transportation from the Airport to Hotel Pestana on arrival and departure days for the participants will be provided by WIN'13 organization. You should inform JAX Events & Tours about your arrival and departure flights.

The Brazilian currency is called real (R$). The exchange rate on July 4th 2013 is: US$ 1 = R$ 2.26 or 1 euro = R$2.95. Most credit cards are widely accepted in Brazil.

WARNING: The sun shines in Natal for more than 3000 h/year. It is highly recommended to wear sunblock 50 all the time! Remember that you can get sunburn even in the shadow!

In the Hotel the power outlets are for 110 V and also 220 V/60 Hz.

The climate in Natal is quite steady throughout the year, temperatures normaly range from 22°C (71°F) to 35°C (95°F) and are softened by the sea breeze that reach the whole city.

Some nationalities need a VISA to enter Brazil. Please check if this is your case here.

Early registration deadline is August 15, 2013. For the participants staying at Pestana Hotel (Conference Venue) the registration fee is R$800/person (before August 15, 2013) or R$1000/person (after August 15, 2013), while for those staying in other hotels the registration fee is R$1200/person (before August 15, 2013) or R$1400/person (after August 15, 2013).

Accompanying persons who wish to take part in the social activities should pay a fee of R$450. The fee covers the transfer from Augusto Severo International Airport to Hotel Pestana on Sunday 15th and back to the airport at the end of the Workshop, a welcome reception, the workshop dinner and an excursion.

There are three options. Participants should select one of them when they make the hotel reservation with our travel agency JAX Events & Tours. They will be covered by the registration fee.

Option 1: Buggy Ride (North Cost) - Buggy ride from the hotel to the other side of Potengi river, going through several beaches (Redinha, Santa Rita, Jenipabu, Barra do Rio, Graçandu, Pitangi) up to Jacumã. On the way one will go over the famous Jenipabu dunes, where the most exciting part of the ride will take place: the buggy ride over the dunes, stopping in three major natural lakes Jenipabu, Pitangui and Jucumã.

Option 2: City Tour + South Cost - Bus ride from the hotel up Via Costeira towards Reis Magos Fortress. Visit Reis Magos Fortress. Pass by several neighborhoods (Santos Reis, Rocas, Ribeira) where the city beagn its growth on the way to the city center, the Cathedral and the craft center. Stop for visiting and shop. View of Morro do Careca in Ponta Negra initiates the trip to Pirangi beach, 24 km away to the south of Natal. There you will be able to see the largest cashew tree in the world and bathe in the calm waters of Pitangi beach.

Option 3: Pipa Beach - Bus ride from the hotel to Tibau do Sul, 90 km from Natal, where you will discover one of the greatest beaches of the region: Pipa. Pipa is in fact considered by many one of the ten most beautiful beaches in Brazil. It is a place where you will find nice cliffs and where the original Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlantica) - which extends along the Atlantic coast from north to south of Brazil, still covers the coastline. You will also visit the Dolphin Bay (Praia dos Golfinhos) and Chapadao Hill.

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Abstract submission

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Abstracts can be submitted at the WIN'13 Indico web site. Abstract submission deadline is August 1st, 2013.

The program of the conference can be found at the conference site. It is to be updated as soon as the discussion groups agenda is finalized.

More information can be found on the web-page of the event http://hep.if.usp.br/win13

Workshop secretariat: amelia@if.usp.br