The DSU events are a series of international workshops in cosmology and astro-particle physics. The workshops bring together a wide range of theorists and experimentalists to discuss current ideas on models of the dark sector of the Universe, and relate them to ongoing and future experiments. Topics covered include: dark matter, dark energy, cosmic rays, neutrino physics, large-scale structure, black holes, gravitational waves, physics beyond the standard model, and more. The 17th event of the series will be hosted by EAIFR in Kigali, Rwanda, on 10-14 July 2023, jointly organized by EAIFR and ICTP.

Speakers include:

Jose Beltrán (Salamanca)
Gianfranco Bertone (Amsterdam)
Kfir Blum (Weizmann)
Marco Drewes (UCLouvain)
Ruth Durrer (Geneva)
Daniel Figueroa (Valencia, IFIC)
Pedro Ferreira (Oxford)
Sven Heinemeyer (UAM, Madrid)
Jörg Jäckel (Heidelberg)
Shaaban Khalil (CFP-ZCST, Egypt)
Elisabeth Krause (U Arizona)
Yann Mambrini (Paris Saclay)
Keith Olive (Minnesota)
Ajith Parameswaram (ICTS, Bangalore)
Luca Santoni (APC, Paris)
Mario Santos (UWC, South Africa)
Blake Sherwin (Cambridge)
Simona Vegetti (MPA Garching)
Christoph Weniger (Amsterdam)
Seokhoon Yun (IBS-CTPU, South Korea)
 

More information, including the full list of participants and the talk schedule, is available here: https://indico.ictp.it/event/10197/

Registrations are officially closed. Late applications may be exceptionally accepted on a discretionary basis. Please contact the organizers.

Venue:
The conference will take place at the College of Science and Technology (CST), in the Nyarugenge campus of the University of Rwanda, in the neighborhood of Kiyovu.
The main campus entrance is from KN 73 St.
Plenary sessions will be in the Muhazi Lecture Hall (Room 1), near the main gate. Parallel sessions will also be held on the top floor of the EAIFR building (Room 2). 



Click here for a Google map link: https://goo.gl/maps/GxYHuxF81WHy1MkU9

Hotels:
There are many hotels near campus. Unfortunately, the closest ones are also the most expensive. A non-exhaustive list includes:
Ubumwe Grande Hotel (map)
Hôtel des Milles Collines (map)
Heaven Boutique Hotel (map)
5 Swiss (map)
Urban by CityBlue (map)
Park Inn (map)
Mythos Boutique Hotel (map)
Stipp Hotel (map)
Onomo Hotel (map)
Sainte Famille Hotel (map)

Supported participants will be lodging at Hilltop Hotel (map, transport is provided).

Restaurants:

Kigali offers a huge variety of restaurants and eateries for all tastes and pockets. We list here some options we have tried and liked.

Near campus: Preet Fast Food (north Indian), Dine Divine (south Indian), New Cactus (belgian and pizza), Baso Patissier (coffee and burgers), Al-Mannu Fast Food (rwandan). Upscale restaurants in the area include Khana Khazana, Heaven, Indabo, . Most hotels in Kiyovu (Serena, Milles Collines, Ubumwe, Urban...) also offer a buffet lunch. 

Near Hotel Hilltop: Bel Air, Sole Luna, Asian Kitchen, 

Habesha (Ethiopian), Inka Steakhouse, Hellenic Taverna, Soy (Asian fusion), Sundowner (Kenyan grill), Mamba Club (bar, pools, bowling court)

Passport and visa:
Rwandan immigration policy requires visitors to hold a passport valid for at least six months after the entry date. Please check your passport's expiry date.
You will also need to show your return/onward ticket and the conference invitation letter. 
Nationals of all countries must obtain an entry visa on arrival, so there is no need to apply in advance. For most countries, the visa is usually valid for 30 days.
The visa is free of charge for citizens of countries belonging to the African Union, the Commonwealth and La Francophonie. For other countries, the cost is 50 USD.
If you plan to also visit Uganda and/or Kenya, you can get an East African Tourist Visa valid for the three countries (90 USD).
Official info available at https://www.migration.gov.rw/visa-on-arrival

Transportation:
Some hotels (not all!) provide airport pickup for their guests.
Taxis are always available in the airport's parking lot. A reasonable rate to go near EAIFR should be about 20.000 RWF (~18 USD or ~16 EUR). There is a currency exchange office in the airport and an ATM in the parking lot just in front of the arrivals, or you can ask the driver to stop at one on the way. There is a prepaid taxi booth next to the arrival door (open until 10PM), where the fare can be paid by credit card (but tends to be more expensive).
Within Kigali, the most popular means of transport are mototaxis, which can be hailed in the streets. They are much cheaper than taxis, but also less safe. If you want to give them a try, you will have to negotiate the fare and will get a helmet from the driver. Think of bringing a scarf or a cap to cover your head if you are uncomfortable.
If you prefer a normal taxi, ask your hotel to arrange one, or call YEGOCAB (9191). They will send you a cab to pick you up and the ride will be metered.
Public buses also exist, but their schedules and routes can be confusing to the non-expert.

Vaccinations and health:
Ask your doctor what vaccinations are recommended for you.
Rwanda has NO yellow fever. You must show proof of vaccination if you come from a country where yellow fever is endemic. Otherwise, no vaccination is required. However, yellow fever exists in Uganda and Tanzania, so plan accordingly if you intend to cross borders.
There is a small but non-zero risk of malaria, especially in the forests and in the wetlands. Kigali, especially since July is dry season, should be relatively safe. But make sure you at least use insect repellent lotion.
Do check with your doctor also about common vaccinations for travelers, like e.g. against hepatitis.
Covid-19 vaccination and testing is no longer required to enter Rwanda. However, a recent negative test is required to visit national parks (and can be done easily in Kigali).
Official info available at https://www.rbc.gov.rw/index.php?id=745

Safety:
Rwanda in general, and Kigali in particular, is usually very safe for foreigners. Walking and taking public transport is normally fine. You should of course take the standard precautions you would take when traveling: be aware of your belongings and surroundings, and try not to behave too differently from locals.
EAIFR is located in one of the nicest (and safest) parts of the city. Walking into neighborhoods that are not typically frequented by foreign visitors is also normally acceptable, but you will of course stand out. So avoid it if you are not comfortable attracting attention.

Cash and credit cards:
Restaurants and hotels that regularly deal with tourists and foreigners will usually accept credit cards, and so will supermarkets and big shops. Small stores will usually require cash.
Banks and ATMs are easily found in Kigali and in bigger towns.
Foreign currency can be exchanged to Rwandan francs (RWF) in exchange bureaus at the airport, in downtown Kigali or near Hotel Hilltop. There is usually a very small commission on USD, and a slightly larger one on EUR. You may want to double check (e.g. with your hotel) about other currencies.
Interestingly, US dollars from older series have a poorer exchange rate than the most recent one.
Here are the exchange rates quoted by the airport exchange bureau:
https://www.aeroport-kigali.com/en/int/exchange.php

Things to do and see:

In Kigali:
Kigali Genocide Memorial
Kimironko Market
Nyamirambo Women Center
Biryogo Car Free Food Street

Inema Arts Center and Niyo Arts Gallery
Tuesday Movie Night at Lavana (in Kimihurura)
Traditional Intore dances (at Milles Collines and Grand Legacy Hotel on Friday night)

In Rwanda:

Rwanda is home to the Volcano National Park in the west, the Akagera National Park in the east, and the Nyungwe Natonal Park in the south. Official information about the parks is available at https://www.visitrwanda.com/tourism/destinations/national-parks/
It is advisable to follow the links to the various parks from the official website, as many unofficial ones also exist.
Other popular destinations, that can also be used as a starting point to visit the parks, include Lake Kivu (especially Gisenyi and Kibuye), Lake Muhazi (on the way to Akagera), the twin lakes Ruhondo and Burera, the King's Palace in Nyanza, the Etnographic Museum in Butare. More info on https://www.visitrwanda.com/tourism/interests/

Shopping:
Most places below can be easily found on google maps.

Sonia Mugabo (clothes, in Remera)
Moshions (clothes, in Kiyovu)
Haute Baso (clothes/home decor, in Gacuriro)
Rwanda Clothing (clothes/home decor, in Kiyovu)
Uzuri (sandals, near Convention Center)
K’tsobe (jewelry, in Nyarutarama)
Umutima Nyamirambo Women’s Centre (clothes/pillows/tote bags... in kitenge/wax fabric, in Biryogo, walking distance from campus)
Dokmai (leather, near Convention Center)
Kigali pottery collections (traditional batwa pottery, in Kacyiru)
The Hope shop (necklaces/earrings Duhope + more handcraft, in Kacyiru)
Talking through Art (baskets, in Rebero)
Ubumwe House: mall with many nice shops on the ground floor (beeswax products, handcraft Azizi life, Turimgiama woodwork..., near Convention Center)
Nafasi the Design Bar (furniture/home decor, in Kimihurura)
Toddle Care (wooden toys, in Kiyovu)
Go Bananas (home decor, in Kiyovu)
Inzora Rooftop Cafe (Ibaba products, waterproof kitenge bags, embroidered pochettes, near Convention Center)
Laini Studio (pottery, in Kimihurura)
Abraham Konga (brass jewelry, pottery, in Kimihurura)
G&Jmax limited (handcraft, in Kiyovu/Biryogo)
Kuasa collective (pillows, in Kimihurura)
Tugirimana (woodwork, in Rebero)

Organizers:

Paolo Creminelli (ICTP, Trieste)
Joern Kersten (Uni Bergen)
Roy Maartens (UWC, South Africa)
Shoaib Munir (ICTP-EAIFR)
Marcello Musso (Uni Salamanca)
Riccardo Sturani (ICTP-SAIFR, Brazil)
Filippo Vernizzi (IPhT, Saclay)
Gabrijela Zaharijas (Uni Nova Gorica)

Steering Committee Members:

Csaba Balazs (Monash U., Australia)
Genevieve Belanger (LAPTh-CNRS, France)
David Delepine (Guanajuato U., Mexico)
Peter Dunsby (Cape Town U., South Africa)
Joern Kersten (Bergen U., Norway)
Shaaban Khalil (Zewail City, Egypt)
Pyungwon Ko (KIAS, South Korea)
Daniel Lopez-Fogliani (U. of Buenos Aires)
Yann Mambrini (LPT CNRS-Univ Paris Sud 11, France)
Carlos Muñoz (IFT UAM-CSIC, Spain)
Keith Olive (Minnesota U., USA)
Paolo Salucci (SISSA, Italy)
Qaisar Shafi (Delaware U., USA)
Fumihiro Takayama (YITP, Japan)
Yu-Feng Zhou (KITPC/ITP-CAS, China)

Download the poster (PDF).