FAQs
This conference is by invitation only, with invitations coming via the Primate or Chair of each Gafcon Province or Branch. Please contact your Anglican Province or Diocese or your Gafcon Branch if you are interested in attending this conference.
The balance of $1600 USD for the conference is due in two instalments of $800 USD. The first $800 USD is due by 1 November 2022, and the final $800 USD is due by 1 February 2023. If you are able to pay your registration in full earlier, this will assist with cash flow for the conference, as Gafcon has to pay deposits and regular payments for venue hire and accommodation throughout 2022 and 2023.
The single-supplement additional cost is USD $400, making a total of $2,100 USD. The deposit amount is unchanged, at $100 USD. The balance will be paid in two instalments of $1,000 USD.
The conference fee for delegates who do not need accommodation is $1,300 USD. The deposit amount remains $100 USD and the balance will be paid in two instalments of $600 USD.
Delegates who book their flights with RwandAir will be entitled to a discount. The Rwanda Convention Bureau, through RwandAir, has offered a 15% discount for delegates who book a flight directly through the website or a RwandAir agent. Terms and conditions are listed at the end of this information sheet.
Many westerners may only know of Rwanda because of the Genocide that occurred there 28 years ago. Rwanda has had stable government for over 25 years and Rwanda is one of the safest destinations in Africa. Crime is relatively low, and locals are welcoming, friendly and hospitable. According to the 2022 Numbeo safety/crime index, Rwanda is the safest country in Africa and the 13th safest country in the world (AUS 63rd, UK 75th, US 86th).
There will be various tours to choose from, including visits to the Kigali Genocide Memorial, local markets, and the Umusambi Village Bird Sanctuary. These tours will be available to book, closer to the conference. There will be no additional cost for these half day tours.
Accommodation venues will be booked by the conference team. Delegates will be assigned to hotels according to their Gafcon Province or Branch. This will allow additional opportunities for networking within your province or branch in the evenings, or over breakfast. The costs of the various hotels are averaged across all delegates. All hotels are rated 3½ star or above.
The conference organisers recognise that arrival and departure times will vary depending on the country you are coming from. Five nights of accommodation (with breakfast) are included in the cost; you get to choose whether your 5-night stay will be Mon-Fri or Sun-Thurs (you can nominate this at the time of registration, or at a later stage). Once you have been allocated your hotel, you can book additional nights at your own expense (for more information, see the details at the end of this document).
Yes. The conference fee is $1,700 USD. Unless you have a US-based bank account, we recommend that you use an international money transfer platform such as “WISE” for making payments. These platforms have much lower fees and better exchange rates, which will save you and Gafcon money. An information sheet about “Making payments for GAFCON IV” can be downloaded here.
Visa requirements vary depending on which country you are travelling from. A free 30-day Visa will be issued on arrival in Rwanda for nationals of any country which is a member of the African Union, The Commonwealth, or La Francophonie. Current Visa requirements can be found at www.migration.gov.rw/visa. It is your own responsibility to organise and pay for a Visa, if you are required to obtain one.
Yes. There are several vaccinations and medications required, depending on the country that you are travelling from. These include Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, Diphtheria and Malaria. You should contact your doctor to discuss your vaccination requirements at least three months before travel.
Covid restrictions have eased in many parts of the world, including Rwanda. Covid tests are no longer required on arrival or departure, neither is there a Passenger Locator Form required. The Rwanda Biomedical Centre has up-to date information on Covid requirements for travellers; The RBC link is here. A Covid-19 vaccination proof/certificate is not a pre-requisite for entry into Rwanda (either by land or air travel).
Kwibuka is a Kinyarwanda word for “remembrance”, and each year starting on 7 April, the country and Rwandans observe commemoration of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. The commemoration period is spread out over 100 days, but the bulk of activities happen from 7–14 April. Activities centre around remembering those we lost and focusing on the future of unity and reconciliation. Delegates are welcome to join and learn more about the history of the country and join Rwandans in commemorating during that week. We encourage delegates to organise their tourism activities to take place after the closing ceremony of the first week of Kwibuka on Friday 14 April, 2023.
Delegates interested in additional tourism activities in Rwanda, outside of the conference package, can access the Visit Rwanda website for more information. You can also reach out to the following travel and tour companies who will help organize the logistics for you. We recommend, due to the commemoration week from 7–14 April, that tourism activities be done after the conference, although some activities can be done prior to the conference as they will still be open during commemoration week.
SONGA Africa. Tel: +250-727770101 – info@songaafrica.com – www.songaafrica.com
A Thousand Hills Africa – +250-280- 30 1000/+250-280-31 1000/+250-788 35 1000
rwsales@thousandhillsafrica.com – www.thousandhillsafrica.com
Uberlux Safaris – info@uberluxesafaris.com – +250 786 559 109 – www.uberluxesafaris.com
Karisimbi Tours – info@karisimbitours.com – sales@karisimbitours.com
+250 788 757069 – www.karisimbitours.com
In line with the cancellation policies with the conference centre and the various accommodation venues, our cancellation policy for the GAFCON IV conference is as follows: Delegates cancelling on or before 4 January 2023, will be entitled to a refund of 80% of conference fees. Delegates cancelling on or before 3 March 2023, will be entitled to a refund of 50% of conference fees. Delegates cancelling after 3 March 2023, will not be entitled to a refund of any conference fees.
We welcome like-minded companies and organisations partnering with us to Sponsor the Conference. There are many clergy and lay people who would benefit greatly from attending this conference, but who will require financial assistance to do so. Please visit www.gafcon.org/kigali-2023 to find out more. To be an exhibitor, or to advertise at the conference, please contact Robin Kinstead at partnerships@gafcon.org for a prospectus.
The dress code is “Smart business casual”. Clergy are requested to wear a clerical collar for the Conference Photo. At other times, it is at the individual’s discretion. No other robes are required. If a person is leading the Daily Service a surplice and preaching scarf or stole will be required. Bishops are asked to wear convocation robes for the Bishop’s Photo (White Rochet and Red Chimere).
We would like people to upload their clips to social media as they prepare to come. Either of meetings of delegates, gathering at airports, people you have met along the way, chatting, singing, praying etc – using the hashtag #gafcon23.
Airport transfers from Saturday 15 April until Saturday 22 April (inclusive) are included with your conference fees. If you are arriving earlier, or leaving later than these dates, it is your responsibility to organise and pay for these transfers. Furthermore, we will use the data that individuals have entered into our database to organise airport transfers. If you have not entered this information using the required link, there may be noone at the airport to collect you and there may be no-one to take you to the airport for departure. Please enter your flight details by Friday 31 March, so that airport transfers can be managed. After this date, the Flight Details fields will be locked; amendments (not new entries) can be requested after this date by emailing conference@gafcon.org .
Type C Plugs are the standard in Rwanda.
Some places have multi-plug sockets.
We recommend bringing a multi-purpose adapter with you.
The hotels and the convention centre have WiFi access, but it may not be sufficient if there are over a thousand people trying to access it. Each delegate will be provided with a phone SIM card and 3GB of data. This will allow delegates to have additional internet access in the convention centre and hotels, as well as coverage when on tours, hotel transfer buses, etc.
Drinking the tap water in Kigali is not recommended. Bottled water is available at the hotels and the convention centre. There are also drinking water stations at the convention centre for delegates to fill-up their own water bottles.
Only pre-registered and fully-paid delegates can attend the conference. The final stage of registration provides delegates with a conference bag and a name badge (which is also an entry pass). This final stage registration will happen at the delegate hotels from 11:00am – 3:00pm on Monday 17 April, and at the KCC entrance on Monday 17 April 4:00-5:00pm and Tuesday 18 April 8:00am – 9:00am. This is a final-stage registration only. No new registrations will be accepted. Please have your passport with you for this final registration process and when you enter KCC. Your name badge will be required to enter KCC each day.
Bus Transfers will be provided between the hotel and KCC each day. Buses will be loaded between 7:45am and 8:00am each morning. Return transfer buses will be loaded between 9:30pm and 9:45pm each evening. Delegates at the Lemigo Hotel may choose to walk to the conference centre (it is a 10-15 minute walk).
Rwandan Francs is the currency. 1000RWF is roughly equivalent to $1.00 USD. You will need cash for most taxis or to buy items at many stores. There are ATMs at the conference centre. Check with your bank about whether your card will be useable overseas.
For assistance with payment options, please contact us at support@gafcon.org. For all other enquiries, please contact us at conference@gafcon.org. Please include your unique invitation code in the subject of your email.