Dear 6th International Conference Member,
As the conference chair, it is my duty to guarantee the success of this scientific endeavor that we are aiming to achieve but at the same time and of bigger importance, is the safety and comfort of our participants, speakers, and attendees that matters most. In lieu of the current political developments in the Middle East, I had called for a summit meeting that brought together the Steering and Scientific Committees of the conference as well as key stakeholders. Let me first express how appreciative I am for the overwhelming response and the valuable feedback that everyone had provided. Taking in to consideration all current and future variables as well as the large international and regional conference audience, the following was agreed upon:
Even though the current situation in Aleppo is peaceful and tranquil, we are taking into consideration the general atmosphere of the entire region and believe that canceling our plans to hold the 6th International Conference on Health Issues in Arab Communities in Aleppo on May 1st is the prudent thing to do. However, we still strongly believe that the conference should be postponed to a later date and at the same location in the city of Aleppo and with our local partner; the University of Aleppo who are committed more than ever to ensure the success of this conference.
The majority agreed that I, as the Conference Chair should explore potential alternate dates for holding the conference in Aleppo. Two suggestions were entertained and will be explored; the fall of 2011 or spring of 2012. We have already started exploring these two potential dates logistically and we will further research and evaluate other factors such as available facilities and scheduling issues with our major stakeholders, participants and our partners the University of Aleppo as well as the World Health Organization. Once this thorough assessment is complete, a final date will be determined of which you will be notified.
As unfortunate this turn of events is, as much I see many opportunities arising from this rescheduling of the conference. There is always a silver lining in every dark cloud. The April 9th reception for the Michigan audience will discuss these opportunities. We expect soon to have further information regarding the logistics of registration and financial penalties as a result of the change in plan.
Lastly, I cannot express to you enough how much we appreciate your patronage to this conference and I assure with the utmost confidence and highest of spirits that this conference will indeed be a pivotal milestone for the scientific world. This can only happen with your continued support and commitment to making this conference a success.
Please check back periodically for updates.
Sincerely,
Dr. Adnan Hammad, Conference Chair
