Re: [72attendees] Dietary restrictions

--On Saturday, 02 August, 2008 11:26 -0700 Ole Jacobsen
<ole@cisco.com> wrote:

> One thing that isn't completely clear to me is if this
> "problem" is  unique to Ireland. Is it really reasonable to
> expect a hotel in, say, Minneapolis to be more clued in about
> this than one in Dublin? By  "reasonable" I don't mean "fair"
> -- in an ideal world the full range of options should be
> available. I mean "would you just expect them to know X ?"

Ole,

I think that, for any given dietary issue or rule, there will be
places that will be more sensitive to it than others.  To take a
handy example involving ICANN rather than the IETF, there are
special (and quite rigorous) Islamic rules  about types, cuts,
and handling of meat.  One might have more trouble finding
restaurants who understand those rules and can deal with them
in, e.g., Sao Paulo or Los Angeles relative to, e.g., Cairo.
While the list is different, there are places where the degree
of sensitivity to food allergies and digestive sensitivities are
higher or lower than it is in others (the same thing could be
said about cigarette smoke, particulates in the air, and
wheelchair accessibility).

> Now, when we go to Hiroshima there probably WILL be some
> issues that  the local caterers simply do not comprehend

Based on stories and experience during the Yokohama meeting, one
is that "vegetarian" does not mean "vegetables stir-fried in
fish oil".

> and
> if someone would like to compile a list of
> questions/concerns/requirements we (the IAOC in  cooperation
> with the local host) can certainly do our best to pass the
> information along and, where possible, find acceptale
> solutions. We have more than a year to work on this.

Ack.

But let's not make ourselves, or each other, crazy.  The main
goal should be information -- which might even include
information that, for some people, the difficulties are great
enough that they should participate remotely-- not trying to
anticipate and solve every possible problem or meet every
possible need.  I think the IAOC should aspire to a minimum of
surprises and getting the information out early enough that
people can plan accordingly (i.e., not a few days before they
get on airplanes).

    john

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