How Can We Help?
General Registration
Visa & Entry Requirements
- Can I get a visa on arrival?
- Can the Summit guarantee my visa approval?
- Do all attendees need a visa to travel to Panama?
- Do I need a transit visa?
- Do I need to register before applying for a visa?
- Do I need to visit a consulate or embassy?
- How do I get the Summit invitation letter?
- How long does the visa allow me to stay?
- Is there a special visa process for SBCC Summit participants?
- Is travel insurance required?
- What documents do I need for the visa application?
- What if my visa is denied?
- What should I bring when I travel to Panama?
- When should I start the visa process?
Hotels & Accommodation
Themes, spotlights and formats
- Do abstracts need to match a sub-theme spotlight?
- Do the two new formats require video?
- In the case of products that cross several thematic areas, is it better to choose a single subtopic?
- What are the session formats?
- What is the exact word/character limits per format?
- Which languages are accepted?
Eligibility & participation
- Are minors or participants under 18 allowed to attend the Summit?
- Are there age limits to attend?
- Can a private company submit?
- Can I come without an abstract?
- Can I submit as a team?
- How can I obtain a certificate confirming my participation in the Summit?
- Is 18–35 an eligibility requirement for the youth focused theme?
- Is it possible to submit abstracts for projects that were terminated by USAID?
- What hotels near the Panama Convention Center are recommended?
- Where will the SBCC Summit 2026 be held?
- Will there be an option to present abstracts virtually?
Submissions & review
- Are abstracts Scopus-indexed?
- Can I review abstracts if I also submit one?
- Does “session organizer” mean a person or an organization?
- How many proposals can I submit?
- What goes in “Session Organizer” on the form?
- What is the submission deadline and when will we be notified?
- Will abstracts be published anywhere?
- Will reviewers move my abstract to a different format if it fits better?
- Will you check whether an abstract was written using AI?
- Will you review abstracts using AI?
Content expectations
Format-specific guidance
- Are abstracts submitted as videos or documents?
- Are English subtitles on the original language (other than English) audio acceptable, or is it mandatory to include English dubbing? Is this true for audio in Portuguese and French?
- Are there any time limits for media clips?
- For the Multimedia Showcase, can the maximum seven-minute clip be a reel edited specifically for the Summit, or must it be a literal excerpt from the finished product?
- For the Multimedia Showcase, how important is the technical quality of the audiovisual product compared to its thematic relevance and contribution to the field of SBCC?
- How will posters be presented?
- If a person is the main author of a Multimedia Showcase proposal, can they also participate as a co-author in a panel or other format?
- If selected, will the video be available on any Summit platform and what usage rights will the authors retain?
- What are skills-building workshops?
- What is a multimedia showcase?
- What will be considered under the “Failing Better: From Oops to Aha” format?
- What will be considered under the “Stories that Flip the Script” format?
Funding, fees, and visas
Travel & Transportation
Program & Presenter Guidelines
- Are slides required for 10-Minute Stories That Flip the Script?
- Are teleprompters available?
- Can I update my presentation after uploading it?
- Can I use my organization’s branding in my presentation?
- Can multimedia presentations include multiple video or audio segments?
- Can presentations include interactive elements?
- Do I have to use the official Summit template?
- Do I still need to bring my presentation with me?
- Do poster presenters also need to upload files?
- Do Skills-Building Sessions need to be interactive?
- How long are multimedia presentations?
- How long are Skills-Building Sessions?
- How long is each oral presentation?
- How many slides should I include?
- How much multimedia content can be included?
- What equipment will be available in presentation rooms?
- What file formats are accepted?
- What if I am presenting in more than one session?
- When do I need to upload my presentation?
- When should presenters arrive for their session?
- When will presenter guidelines be available?
- When will the Summit program be available?
- Where do I upload my presentation?
- Why do I need to upload in advance?
- Will there be time for Q&A?
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Guided Tour of Soberanía National Park
- Do participants need to complete the entire trail?
- How difficult is the hike?
- How do I get to the Panama Convention Center for the tour?
- How long is the trail?
- How many participants can join the tour?
- Is transportation included?
- What happens if it rains?
- What is Soberanía National Park?
- What is the Plantation Trail?
- What kinds of wildlife might participants see?
- What should participants bring?
- What should participants wear to the hike?
- What time is the guided tour?
- What time should participants arrive?
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When should presenters arrive for their session?
Updated
Presenters should arrive at their session room at least 15 minutes before the scheduled start time to check in and test materials.
