Dear friends and colleagues,
On behalf of the Local Organizing and the International Scientific Committees it is our great pleasure to welcome you to the exciting city of The Hague for the 29th Annual Meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Infectious Diseases.
The main theme of this meeting is “Frontiers in Paediatric Infectious Diseases”. We have chosen this theme as it allows us to offer you the opportunity to present and/or to be informed on novel research in all areas of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (PID).
We are extremely grateful to our faculty of invited speakers, who will provide you with updates on the latest developments in the pathogenesis, epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical aspects, prevention and treatment of PID.
We cordially welcome our friends from the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society of America, who will for the first time officially participate in this meeting. We are excited about the increasing number of participants – both speakers and attendees – from other continents, making this meeting a wonderful venue for international scientific collaboration and friendship.
In addition to our traditional and highly popular activities such as the Walter Marget Educational Workshop, the Meet the Professor Sessions and Interactive Case Session, ESPID 2011 offers you new initiatives such as the ePoster Sessions and the Literature Review symposium.
The opportunities for networking have been further improved by adding more network meetings and the implementation of an eArchive. We sincerely hope that you will use these fora to participate in one of the many networks and activities that form an integral part of the ESPID community!
We realize that our scientific programme will take up most if not all of your time. However, do not miss the spectacular social programme. This programme starts with the Opening Ceremony on Wednesday. After the Welcome Reception, come to the beach in Scheveningen for an informal game of football. Visit the ESPID Dinner (by invitation only) on Thursday evening in the spectacular Kurhaus Hotel. After dinner, all attendees are more than welcome to the After Dinner Party. Finally, do not miss the Farewell Dinner Party on Friday night in the wonderful Great Church in the centre of The Hague.
You are also invited to enjoy The Hague, a city with a long history: the seat of the Dutch government and of the International Court of Justice and the Royal residence. Visit one of the beautiful museums: the world famous Mauritshuis or the Gemeente Museum, that offers a unique exhibition of Picasso paintings. Go out for dinner at an Indonesian restaurant and order a ‘rijsttafel’. Go around by bike and explore the city and its parks. Spend an additional evening at the Royal Theatre or go on a shopping spree. Should you make the wise decision to stay a few more days in our wonderful country, ask us for tips to avoid the tourist traps!
We will do our utmost best to make this meeting and your stay in The Hague an unforgettable experience!
Warm regards,
Ronald de Groot Adilia Warris
Chair Organizing Committee Vice-chair Organizing Committee
On behalf of the Local Organizing and International Scientific Committees