Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We would like to share with you an important decision we had to make regarding the postponement of this event and new dates proposed.

Exceptional events did take place in Tunisia and I would like to thank you all for your messages of sympathy, we did sincerely appreciate your friendly thoughts. The situation is improving but is still tense. It is also a great moment of hope including for research community and universities (please see Nature editorial and related articles [article 1, article 2, article 3]).

In this context, the local organizing committee after consultation with sponsors, travel agent and colleagues organizing similar events in the same period had a meeting and came to the conclusion that, unfortunately, it would be preferable to postpone our Congress. This preliminary decision has been now confirmed by the ASID board. The Congress is now scheduled from 8th to 11th March, 2012 in Hammamet, Tunisia. The ASID board maintains the 3rd ASID Congress in 2013 and will probably organize another event in 2011 such as a 3rd PIDs School.

We are sincerely sorry for this, everything was progressing smoothly (scientific program, sponsoring, travel agent, hotel, social events...). All speakers from Africa, Europe and US have confirmed attendance as well as IPOPI and INGID. The board as well as colleagues from 15 African countries have been contacted and confirmed their presence. Other colleagues from Brazil, Italy, Saudi Arabia and more were willing to contribute. We did every effort possible to have a successful meeting but that's life...!

You’ve been really of great support helping us propose an exciting scientific program, some of the invited speakers paying their own airtickets and others sponsoring the event. We won’t forget that and we are relying on your presence in Hammamet from 8th to 11th March 2012. All of you are again invited to this event, please save the dates on your calendar. We will make every effort possible to make it a great moment of Science but also an outstanding opportunity to meet Friends in an always peaceful and lovely country aspiring just to be a better place where to live…!

Again we are sorry for any inconvenience and are looking forward to welcome you in Hammamet, March 2012.

Warmest regards,

On behalf of the ASID board and the local organizing committee
2nd ASID Congress