JÁNOS BOLYAI CONFERENCE
ON HYPERBOLIC GEOMETRY

to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the world famous Hungarian geometer János Bolyai

8-12 July, 2002  «»  Budapest, Hungary

Third Announcement
and Programme

 


Contents

About János Bolyai

János Bolyai (15 December 1802-27 January 1860) was born in Kolozsvár, Transylvania, at that time a Hungarian Grand Duchy ruled by the Hapsburgs, and died in Marosvásárhely, Transylvania. (Both towns belong to Romania now, and their names are Cluj-Napoca and Târgu Mures, respectively.) János Bolyai, the son of Farkas Bolyai, the famous professor of mathematics, physics and chemistry at the Reformed College in Marosvásárhely, as a teenager set himself to resolve the 2000 year old geometry problem, intensively researched also by his father: to prove Euclid's fifth, the so called parallel postulate from Euclid's others. After he had recognized the impossibility of this task, he developed absolute geometry that is independent of the fifth postulate and also hyperbolic geometry where this postulate is negated. He was only 21 years old when he reported his finding to his father: "I have discovered things so wonderful that I was astounded... out of nothing I have created a new, different world." Bolyai also developed a rigorous geometric concept of complex numbers as ordered pairs of real numbers. Although he never published more than the 26 page Appendix, mainly because he was unable to gain recognition for his work, he left more than 14.000 pages of manuscript of mathematical work when he died. Quite recently these have been thoroughly researched with surprising success: mathematical gems have been found, mainly results in number theory which were new in Bolyai's time.

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Invitation

In 2002 we celebrate the bicentennial anniversary of the birth of János Bolyai, the genius geometer, one of the creators of hyperbolic geometry. In remembrance of his brilliant mind a Conference on Hyperbolic Geometry  will be held in the capital of Hungary, Budapest from July 8th to 12th, 2002. The Conference is intended to highlight the historical significance of the invention of hyperbolic geometry and to present new ideas and developments related to hyperbolic geometry.

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Credits

Organisers

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Sponsors

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Programme Committee

Chair:  A. Prékopa (Hungary)
Secretary:  K. Bezdek
(Hungary)

Organising Committee

Chair: 
Á. Császár (Hungary)
Secretary: 
K. Böröczky (Hungary)

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Programme of the Conference


The printed Programme booklet will be included in the Conference kit to be handled at the registration desk.

The manuscript is available in the following formats:

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Registration and fees

- preferably on-line (Registration and Accommodation Form is available here)
or
- by fax (Bolyai Conference Secretariat, Viktor Richter, fax: +361 386 9378)
or
- via mail (Bolyai Conference Secretariat, Viktor Richter, c/o MTA SZTAKI, Kende u. 13-17., H-1111 Budapest, Hungary).

One separate form per each participant should be completed and returned to the Bolyai Conference Secretariat. Use a photocopy of the form if an extra copy is necessary or download it from the web.

It is expected that at least one author per paper will register for the Conference by the early registration deadline (1 June, 2002). Otherwise, the paper will automatically be cancelled and excluded from the Final Programme and all Conference publications.

Registration fees

 
Early
before 1 June, 2002
Late
after 1 June, 2002

Registration fee

EUR 200

EUR 300

Student fee

EUR 100

EUR 150

The registration and student fees include:

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Accommodation

Block reservations for participants and accompanying persons have been made at special rates in the hotels below.

Hotels

Room rates per night*

Access to the Conference venue

Hyatt Regency Budapest*****
1051 Budapest, Roosevelt tér 2.

EUR 126 EUR 142 3 min. walk

Taverna****
1052 Budapest, Váci utca 20.

EUR 90 EUR 120 10 min. walk

Ventura***
1119 Budapest, Fehérvári út 179.

EUR 50 EUR 60 25 min. by tram

Griff Junior*
1113 Budapest, Bartók Béla út 152.

EUR 30 1) EUR 40 1) 25 min. by tram
EUR 25 2) EUR 35 2)

*  Room rates include taxes and breakfast.
1) bath and toilet in the room
2) bath and toilet in the hallway

To benefit from the special rates quoted for Conference participants, reservations should be made via the Conference Secretariat by using the Registration and Accommodation Form as soon as possible but no later than 1 June, 2002 at the latest. After this date the availability of rooms cannot be guaranteed.

Reservations will be confirmed by the Conference Secretariat. The hotel fee is to be paid directly to the hotel.

General conditions
One night room rate will be charged
- in case of non-attendance if a cancellation notice in writing is not received by the Conference Secretariat before 1 July, 2002
- in case of delayed arrival if the Conference Secretariat is not advised before 1 July, 2002.

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Excursion

A half-day Budapest sight-seeing tour will be offered. The bus leaves from and returns back to the building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (the Conference venue) so tour participants will have the opportunity to register for the Conference.

Budapest sight-seeing
(Sunday, 7 July, 2002, 14.00 - 18.00)
Price: EUR 25/person

Visiting one of the most exciting metropolises of the world with a gorgeous geographic location, full of historical monuments and places of interest. Budapest, including the banks of the Danube and the district of Buda Castle, is on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List.

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Evening programmes

Welcoming reception
(Monday, 8 July, 2002, 18.00 - 20.00)

Hungarian Academy of Sciences
(1051 Budapest, Roosevelt ter 9.)
All registered participants are cordially invited.


Banquet

(Thursday, 11 July, 2002, 20.00 - 22.00)
 The venue has been changed!


EUROPA” Boat
The boat will start exactly at 20.00 from the boat station at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences. Boarding from 19.30.

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Method of payment

Advance payments can be made by credit card or bank transfer. American Express, Eurocard/MasterCard and Visa cards are accepted.

Payments by bank transfer should be sent to the following account of the Computer and Automation Research Institute, HAS:

”Bolyai” MTA SZTAKI
Account No. 10032000-01738588
National Bank of Hungary
H-1850 Budapest
SWIFT CODE: MANEHUHBA

Please send separately a proof of remittance to the Conference Secretariat (Viktor Richter, fax: +361 386 9378). In order for the organisers to identify payments, please make sure that the name of each Conference participant is clearly indicated on all documents.

Please note:

Confirmation

Confirmation of registration and accommodation will be sent upon receipt of the completed Registration and Accommodation Form and, in case of bank transfer, the proof of remittance. Please bring the confirmation with you to the Conference for presentation at the Registration Desk.

Cancellation

Requests for refunds of the registration fee (less 20% administration charge) will be honored only if they are received before 1 July, 2002. No refunds will be given for cancellation requests received after that date or for non-attendance.

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GENERAL INFORMATION

Host city


Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is situated in the heart of Central Europe, on both sides of the Danube (Duna) River. On the right bank stands the hilly and wooded Buda and on the left bank, on the plain, Pest. Biased locals and unbiased foreign visitors hold the view that Budapest is one of the finest situated cities in the world. Budapest is also the center of cultural life in Hungary. It is the perfect place not only for tourists, but also for foreign visitors attending conferences, for the city has something to offer everyone with a few hours to spend after work or between meetings. After visiting one of the many famous museums or historical buildings, visitors can enjoy strolling in the downtown, along the Duna Corso or on the Margit Island, stopping to relax in a pleasant coffee-house, a small romantic restaurant or a cosy tavern. Evenings can be spent enjoying the summer entertainment in a night spot, or in one of the open-air theatres or concert halls of the city listening to the music of Bartók, Kodály or Liszt, or perhaps enjoying a folklore performance. Those in search of active recreation can visit Budapest’s famous baths and swimming pools.

Budapest named “the pearl of the Danube” or “little Paris”, is definitely the city you won’t be disappointed in, and it is just ascertain that if you come, there will be one more person falling in love with it.

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Venue

The neo-renaissance building of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (H-1051 Budapest, Roosevelt ter 9.) is built right on the Danube bank, in the heart of the city. It is one of Budapest's most popular sites for scientific assemblies and conferences.
The building of the Academy can easily be reached by public transport. The downtown area is within walking distance.

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Visas

Visitors from European countries (except Albania, Belarus, Bosnia, Moldova, Macedonia, Russia and Turkey) are not required visas.
Participants from a few overseas countries will need a visa (please check beforehand)

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Insurance

The Organisers of the Conference do not provide insurance and do not take responsibility for any loss, accident or illness that might occur during the Conference or in the course of travel to or from the meeting site. It is, therefore, the responsibility of the participants to check their coverage with their insurance provider.

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Weather

Hungary is in the temperate zone, the mid-July weather is usually nice and warm. Daily temperatures range from 25°C to 35°C (77F to 95F). However, the evenings may be chilly so a light jacket/sweater is recommended.

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Arrival in Budapest - transfer from the airport & railway

Most participants will arrive at the Budapest Ferihegy Airport. The simplest means of transportation to any place in Budapest is via minibuses. This door-to-door Airport Minibus Service is reasonably priced (approx. EUR 8) and is much more reliable than taxis.
A Railbus Service operates from the three major railway stations, with approximately the same conditions as the Airport Minibus.

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Getting to the Conference venue from the hotels


For getting to the Conference venue, please consult the map of Budapest or contact your hotel reception.

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Registration and information desk

The registration and information desk will operate at the Conference venue as follows:

Please note: The pre-registration planned earlier for Sunday 7 July has been cancelled.

 
Monday 8 July 08.00 - 18.00
Tuesday 9 July 08.30 - 18.00
Wednesday 10 July 08.30 - 18.00
Thursday 11 July 08.30 - 18.00
Friday 12 July 08.30 - 18.00

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Bank, currency, credit cards


The unit of currency is the Hungarian Forint (HUF), denoted as “Ft” by the Hungarians. As of end of April 2002: EUR 1 = HUF 241, see current exchange rates on the web.

International credit cards (American Express, Eurocard/Mastercard, Visa) are accepted at most hotels, restaurants and shops. ATMs are available at the Airport and all over the city.

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Voltage

The electricity supply in Hungary is 230 V AC (50 Hz).

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Conference Secretariat

Viktor Richter
c/o Computer and Automation Research Institute, HAS
Kende u. 13-17.
H-1111 Budapest
Hungary
fax: +361 386 9378
e-mail: richter@sztaki.hu

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János Bolyai Conference in Cluj-Napoca, Romania

The second part of the Conference will be held on 1-5 October, 2002 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Further information:
http://math.ubbcluj.ro/~bolyai
e-mail: bolyai@math.ubbcluj.ro

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