A. Opening Session 

1. The minimum floor area of the opening session hall is 2,500 m² or have the capacity  to seat approximately 2500 people in a theatre style arrangement with a stage, 6 interpretation booths and media platform. The furniture, equipment, and other materials required for the opening session are as follows:
   • Stage and stage area
     • two lecterns, one for the President and the Chair, on which the ADB logo (provided by ADB and measuring 40 cm by 40 cm) is mounted, and the other for the Guest of Honor, on which the host country logo is mounted; each lectern must have two microphones each
     • one speech prompter for the ADB President, which ADB sources (Appendix 127 contains photograph of a speech prompter and the required equipment used in previous Annual Meetings as well as photographs of an opening session showing the speech prompter)
     • flagpoles with stands for the flags of the host country and of ADB to be displayed onstage (the sizes of ADB flags are 180 cm x 120 cm (about 6 feet x 4 feet), 150 cm x 90 cm (about 5 feet x 3 feet) and 300 cm x 200 cm (3 meters x 2 meters)
     • simultaneous interpretation headsets (i.e., receivers with headphones), including six headsets for those on the stage 
     • extra chairs at the wings of the stage
     • a speech prompter operator and a technician in an enclosed area beside the stage strategically located near the ADB President's lectern but hidden from the view of the audience; the area provides the speech prompter operator and the technician a direct view of the President while he delivers the speech, and needs to have a power outlet, desk/work light and enough space to accommodate a laptop, a scroller, and two chairs
     • identical water jugs and glasses on trays (with chilled mineral water) on the head table, at the lecterns, and in the interpreters' booths
       
   • Interpretation area
     • Simultaneous interpretation facilities for four to six languages (1,200 headsets are required if the Guest of Honor or Chair speaks in a language other than English; otherwise, a minimum of 500 headsets is needed)
     • Six interpreters' booths with signs of channel assignments (final number of booths is to be determined)
     • Distribution counter for simultaneous interpretation headsets, including stands with signs indicating simultaneous interpretation channel assignments (e.g., Channel 1—English; Channel 2—Chinese; Channel 3—French; Channel 4—Japanese; Channel 5—others)
       
   • Audience seating
     • about 2,000 seats for the audience
     • freestanding signs to identify clearly each seating block for participants (e.g., "Governors and Heads of Delegations," "Alternate Governors and Temporary Alternate Governors," "Advisors," "Observers," "Special Guests," "Guests," "Civil Society Organizations," "Media," "Special Invitees," "Diplomatic and Consular Corps," "Local Dignitaries," "Board of Directors," and "ADB Staff")
     • stanchions to cordon off certain areas (as necessary)
     • 250 seats to be clearly designated for journalists (apart from television crew and photographers) to cover the opening session
       
   • Media and technical requirements
     • one control booth with digital-recording facilities (with back-up recorders) to record proceedings (in case of speeches delivered in languages other than English, the English interpretation is recorded by a separate recorder)
     • sound reinforcements as necessary
     • camera platform (with steps) large enough to accommodate 70 journalists should be strategically located to provide photographers and TV crew a vantage point to ensure excellent visual photo coverage of the event
     • one mult/press box (i.e., audio distribution panel) in the camera platform, which is connected to the master sound control booth so that the television crews can record live audio
     • IPTV system to enable coverage of proceedings with links to flat screen TVs in the ADB President's office (one screen), media center (four screens), planning and coordination office (one screen), and one or two other ADB Secretariat offices, as well as public spaces
     • Appropriate and sufficient additional lighting to meet television and press photographers' required lighting intensity 
     • One or two video projection screens or high definition LED screens  to display the t image of the speaker and/or the meeting logo and videos and graphics as needed
       
   • VIP holding area with appropriate furniture and facilities for reception party and reception line
     
   • Optional
     • four arm chairs and coffee tables (optional)
     • chairs for the band, orchestra, entertainment or choir; number to be determined (optional)
     • uniform for ushers (optional)
       
   • Floral arrangements and decorations, including a suitable arrangement around the lecterns to disguise the speech prompter

• In addition, if the opening session is not located at the Annual Meeting venue:
  • registration counters (for delegates and observers, guests, CSOs, and media), including stanchions or bollards
  • a transport desk and a paging system
    

Appendix 18 contains sample seating plans, and Appendix 80 has photographs taken during opening sessions at previous Annual Meetings. A seating plan for the opening session is shown below.

• President's Speech Rehearsal. The requirements for the President's speech rehearsal at the venue are the following:
  • Technical rehearsals occur at the opening session venue (with complete lighting, vision  and sound checks) before the opening session and a final run-through on the day of the opening session. All technicians involved in lighting, vision and sound are present during the rehearsals.
    
  • The speech prompter setup (including lectern) must not be removed off stage until after actual speech of the President during the opening session. Cultural presentations and other parts of the program must work around the setup.
    
  • One long table and three chairs on the wing of the stage for the speech prompter operator, a technician, and DOC personnel.
    
  • A sufficient supply of bottled water on the main stage near the lectern during the rehearsals and during the opening session. To be refreshed as necessary.

B. Business Session

1.  Hollow arrangement of tables for about 350 delegates and an additional 200 observers, guests, media, and CSOs elsewhere in the hall. Low-back, swivel armchairs
   Seating for the business session is arranged around a hollow arrangement of tables for about 350 delegates and an additional 200 observers, guests, media, and CSOs elsewhere in the hall. Low-back, swivel armchairs around the hollow arrangement are to be positioned as follows: Governors, first row and head table; Alternate Governors, second row; and (uniform color) chairs for their advisors, third and, if necessary, fourth and fifth rows. Separate seating areas are required for observers (80 chairs), members of the Board of Directors (about 20 chairs), senior ADB staff (about 20 chairs), media (including camera platforms for about 70 photographers and TV crew), guests, and CSOs. The exact seating arrangement for Governors, Alternate Governors, and advisors (i.e., delegates) depends on the configuration of the hall and the space available. 
   
2. All seating areas are to be clearly designated by free-standing signs. The minimum dimensions of the business session hall are 30 m x 60 m, with a floor area of 1,800 m².   If the room is smaller than the minimum requirement, an overflow room is necessary and digital screens outside the business session room should be provided.
   
3. It is important for the business session area to be set up at least 24 hours before the opening session to allow a dry run to be conducted before the business session actually begin. This involves testing the microphones and the speaking time control equipment following the actual order of speaking. The dry run also enables audio-visual technicians to confirm the programming of the correct member names to be displayed on the screens. 
   
4. The furniture, equipment, and other materials required for the business session are as follows:
   
   • Signs at entrances requesting participants to switch off their cell phones
     
   • Two stands at the entrance of the meeting hall (a) to announce list of speakers for the day, and (b) to display the seating plan
     
   • Flagpoles with stands for the flags of the host country and of ADB to be displayed in front of the Business Session backdrop (the sizes of ADB flags are 180 cm x 120 cm [about 6 feet x 4 feet], 150 cm x 90 cm [about 5 feet x 3 feet] and 300 cm x 200 cm [3 meters x 2 meters]).
     
   • Table arrangement
     • with about 1 m of table space per person for at least 68 Governors and Heads of Delegations and 3 members of a head table
     • a flat screen TV on the floor in front of head table to enable the Chair to see current speakers 
     • one or two large screens behind the head table to show the image and country name of the member speaking
     • screens for all members arranged in the center of the hollow to view clearly and observe the digital speaking timer
     • rectangular nameplates lettered on both sides, for member countries and members of the head table (ADB to provide)
     • a small digital table clock to be placed in front of the Chair
     • identical water jugs, coffee and tea jugs and glasses on trays (with chilled mineral water, cookies) on the head table, Governors' tables, and at interpreters' booths
     • a gavel and block for the Chair (ADB to provide)
     • presentation gavel and block for Chair and Vice Chairs (three sets), to be presented by the President at the closing session (ADB to provide)
     • order of speakers for the session is placed on the head table
     • meeting documents (ADB to provide) to be placed on tables (report of the Procedures Committee, annual report, documents folder)
     • writing pads, ballpens, and pencils on the tables
       
   • Seating
     • 139 padded, uniform, swivel low-back armchairs for the head table (3), for Governors (68), and Alternate Governors (68); the actual number of armchairs depends on the number of members at the time of the meeting
     • about 450 uniform chairs for advisors, observers, guests, media, ADB Board of Directors, ADB staff, and CSOs, including 8 chairs with writing armrests on the left side behind head table (for Secretariat)
     • free-standing signs to identify clearly each seating block for other participants (e.g., "Observers", "Board of Directors", "Senior Staff", "Guests", "CSOs", and "Media")
     • Table for 2 members of ADB Secretariat behind the Secretary and to the right of the ADB staff.  It should have a computer connected to the internet and 2 chairs
     • seating areas for media covering the business session
       
   • 72 conference push to talk microphones. The Chair's microphone should be fitted with a priority control to override the entire system should they need to intervene; one microphone is placed in front of each seat at the table, and sufficient additional microphones serve as backups in case of malfunction
     
   • Simultaneous interpretation facilities for four to six languages
     • 500–600 simultaneous interpretation headsets (i.e., receivers with headphones).  Headsets should be placed around the table in front of each HOD and each person at the head table
       
   • A distribution counter for simultaneous interpretation headsets, including stands with signs indicating simultaneous interpretation channel assignments (e.g., Channel 1—English; Channel 2—Chinese; Channel 3—French; Channel 4—Japanese; Channel 5—others)
     
   • Six interpreters' booths with signs of channel assignments (final number of booths is to be determined)
     
   • Media and technical requirements
     • speaking-time control equipment (ADB to provide)
     • control booth with digital-recording facilities (with back-up recorders) to record proceedings; in case of speeches made in languages other than English, the English interpretation is recorded by a separate recorder
     • platforms for television and press photographers
     • two mult/press boxes (i.e., audio distribution panels), one in each camera platform linked to the master sound control booth so that crews can record live sound (floor and interpreted English)
     • IPTV system to allow coverage of proceedings with links to the ADB President's office (one screen), media center (four screens), planning and coordination office (one screen), outside of the Business Session venue (one screen), and one or two other ADB Secretariat offices, as well as public spaces inside the venue
     • sufficient and appropriate lighting above the head table to ensure that documents can be read 
     • additional lighting in front of the head table for the ceremony of handing over the gavel at the end of the business session
     • Sufficient and appropriate lighting for the table arrangement area to meet television and press photographers' required lighting intensity 
     • backdrop with the ADB logo and Annual Meeting logo 
     • video projection or LED screen for displaying image of current speaker and/or ADB and meeting logos
     • a designated area for about 50 photographers and TV crew, with 2 camera platforms  that provides a vantage view of the event
       
   • A floral decoration for the hollow center portion of table arrangement, which cannot be too high to block the views of the Governors across the hollow or impede video camera system
5. A sample business session seating plan is shown below.
6. A control system electronically monitors the speaking time of each Governor. The following is a description of the speaking time control equipment.
   
7. Each microphone is assigned to a delegate or delegation (complete with "name handling").
   
8. The Chair can follow who is talking on the foldback flat screen TV located in front of the head table, and how much speaking time remains for the particular speaker through the speaking time control display.
   
9. The Chair's microphone base should have a "priority" button, which allows them to switch off the microphone of the speaking delegate. There is no speaking time limit for the Chair.
   
10. Only one delegate microphone is active at a time. The microphones should be centrally operated and not switched on or off by individual delegates. They are deactivated when the Chair's microphone is switched to priority mode (i.e., the discussion follows Chair–Delegate A–Chair–Delegate B–Chair–Delegate C).
    
11. For the business session, each delegate is allowed 3 minutes of speaking time. It is expected that the delegate's speaking time is uninterrupted by any other delegate. However, the Chair can interrupt. The speaking time of the delegate counts down from the assigned number of minutes. If the Chair interrupts, the speaking time clock pauses, and continues counting down the moment the delegate continues to talk. If interrupted by another delegate, the speaking time clock resets to the original number of minutes assigned to the speaker (i.e., the discussion during speaking time control is between the Chair and the individual delegate only).
    
12. The indicator lamp of the speaking time control system has three colors: green, yellow and red. The green light indicates that the prescribed 3 minutes of speaking time is available to the delegate. The yellow light indicates the 1-minute grace period to enable the Governor speaking to conclude his or her statement appropriately. The red light indicates that the delegate has exceeded the speaking time. The Chair, who is able to monitor the light for each Governor speaking, may interrupt a Governor who exceeds the 4-minute total speaking period. The digital speaking time control is inserted as an overlay on the array of flat screen TVs within the hollow arrangement for all members to see in the top left of each screen.
    
13. The preferred location for the technical staff controlling the digital speaking time system is on the floor within sight of the Chair, together with the secretariat staff.
    
14. Photographs taken during the business session at previous Annual Meetings and photographs of speaking time control equipment are in Appendix 128.

C. Governors' Plenary

1. The Governors’ Plenary provides an opportunity for ADB Governors to engage with a high-level speaker (optional) as well as their peers in a closed door, free-flowing dialogue. The host country provides the venue, furniture and equipment. The Governors' lounge may be used as a venue. Photographs of the Governors' Plenary session are in Appendix 129..
2.  70-75 comfortable chairs with coffee tables in between chairs (the tables should be large enough to have space for nameplates, a few documents/folder, water bottles and glasses)
   Requirements:
   • 70-75 comfortable chairs with coffee tables in between chairs (the tables should be large enough to have space for nameplates, a few documents/folder, water bottles and glasses)
   • 100 chairs for observers
   • 4 rectangular tables (2 inside the room [as refreshment tables], 2 outside for check-in purposes)
   • Simultaneous interpretation facilities (to be determined) and 175 headsets
   • 75 conference push to talk microphones with name handling/request to talk feature and display for the Chair/Secretary
   • Digital recording
   • Snacks, coffee, tea, water (with 2 waiters to assist)

D. Constituency Meetings, Constituency Events, and Delegation Meetings

1. A minimum of five rooms, each about 200 m², is required for the constituency meetings, events of the Board of Directors, and delegation meetings. Each room is to be equipped with the following:
   • a table capable of seating 25–30 persons, with room for another 10 chairs at the sides
   • microphones
   • digital recording
   • a refreshment table inside the room for coffee, tea, chilled mineral water, and cookies

E. Asian Development Fund Donors’ Meeting

• Approximate room size: 450 m²
• Physical and technical requirements:
  • head table for 13 persons (Chair, ADB Management, and staff)
  • hollow square table for 30 donor country delegates and additional support, 13 chairs on each side
  • 52 table microphones
  • projection or LED screen setup for PowerPoint slides 
  • an array of flat screen TVs arranged in the hollow square arrangement so that all seated positions can have a clear view of projected content
  • digital recording facility
  • one lectern equipped with microphone and wireless slide advancer
  • registration table
  • country nameplates (provided by ADB)
• Physical setup for breakfast: cocktail tables
• Sample layout:

F. ADB, International Monetary Fund and World Bank Coordination Meeting

• A tripartite meeting for 2 hours usually held over breakfast, chaired by ADB Vice-President (Operations).
• Approximate room size: 120 m²
• Estimated attendance: 30 persons
• Physical and technical requirements:
  • Rectangular table arrangement with seating for 30 persons and microphones
  • digital recording
  • Plated breakfast
• Sample layout: 

I. President's Press Conference

Important Information:

• Before the President’s press conferences, DOC staff and onsite technicians need to set up and test the facilities to ensure that video-audio feed is of international broadcast quality.

1. ADB President's Press Conference 
   • Approximate room size: 450 m²; Estimated attendance: 200-250 persons
   • Physical and technical requirements:
     • 250 theater-style seating for journalists
     • a raised platform (with steps on the sides) with the head table for the President and moderator
     • two table panel microphones (additional handheld microphone if there is an interpreter)
     • two nameplates for the President (seated left of audience) and the moderator
     • two headsets for the President and the moderator
     • three floor microphones (microphones with stands) and four cordless microphones
     • sound system
     • projector and screen for digital backdrop with ADB and Annual Meeting logos and possible presentations
     • one audio mult/press box with XLR and mini jacks for dictaphone/mp3 recorders
     • sufficient space with platforms offering vantage view for television videographers  and photographers
     • sufficient lighting appropriate for video coverage 
     • a standby audio technician for the event, to be available during the event and 2 hours before the event to test equipment and/or undertake last-minute changes
     • digital recording
     • simultaneous interpretation booths and equipment, and headphones for media and the head table
     • simultaneous translators are to be supplied by the Host Country, preferably the same translators assigned to the business session
     • an interpreter may be needed on a case-to-case basis; a chair, lectern, and microphone should be provided
     • bottled water and glasses; paper and pens for head table
     • press conference signage outside the venue
     • "Exclusive for Media" signs at the entrance to the venue
     • Coffee service at a counter inside or outside the venue

2. Chair's Press Conference. The requirements for the Chair's press conference are the same as for the President's press conference.

Appendix 132 contains photographs from these press conferences.