Greetings

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Organizing Committee for the Europaediatrics 2003 congress, we are pleased that you are able to attend and actively participate in the this exciting congress, here in Prague, Czech Republic from October 19-22, 2003.

The congress will serve as a platform for well-known paediatricians in the field of General and Sub specialties in Paediatrics. About 50 speakers from clinical science have agreed to join the faculty participating in this event.

Prague, one of the oldest centers of culture and learning on the Continent, a home of European academic tradition and a city of beauty, will provide an exquisite framework for an open exchange of ideas and the presentation of new research findings.

We hope that you enjoy being part of this fulfilling, rewarding and challenging congress and also enjoy the special flavor of Prague, a city that combines a rich historic past with a vibrant cultural present.

Sincerely yours,

Dr. Manuel Katz
Congress President

Welcome from the Local Organising Committee and from the UNEPSA-council

Dear colleauges,

On behalf of the UNEPSA-council, we welcome you to Prague and to the 2nd Europaediatrics Congress. It is a great pleasure and honour to welcome you as guest here in the capital of the Czech Republic. The first Europaediatrics Congress, Rome 2000 was regarded as a very successful meeting.

We hope you were not disappointed moving the venue from Jerusalem to Prague. The capital of the Czech Republic is an ideal place for organising international meetings. This congress will be held at the modern Prague Congress Centre, which is situated in a unique place with a beautiful panorama of Prague including its landmark - the Prague Castle. Since centuries Prague has been known as one of the most beautiful towns in the world. The historical part of Prague has been placed on the UNESCO- list of cultural monuments. Last but not least, the position of Prague in the centre of Europe presents a geographical and cultural cross road and can attract more easily the participants of scientific meeting.

Wishing you full success at the scientific programme. We also hope that you will enjoy the special atmosphere of our city - Prague, a town of hundreds of golden spires!

On behalf of UNEPSA-council

Jan Janda
President of UNEPSA

And now let us have some brief remarks on the UNEPSA-activities and its task. Since the congress in Rome two important materials have been prepared- the first one is a review on Demography of Paediatric Primary Care (PPC) in Europe, published already in Pediatrics. The second one is a review on the contemporary situation in paediatric nephrology in Europe, which is ready to be published in a recognised international journal.

In 2002 an UNEPSA-workshop was organised in Prague. The main topic was postgraduate education in Europe and United States. Our distinguished guest and invited speaker was Prof. Jane Schaller, president of the International Pediatric Association (IPA). You can find the proceeding of that meeting on the UNEPSA-website under the address http://www.unepsa.org/minutes/mi020614.htm

The UNEPSA-website has become an important tool of information for European paediatricians. Here you can find abstracts of the Europaediatrics Congress in Rome 2000 including a lot of linkage important for all paediatricians. We do recommend to take this opportunity to be informed on UNEPSA-activities. We are aware of the fact that young paediatricians especially are familiar with computer technology, including the Internet and E-mail, and that these young colleagues will play a special role in the future of paediatrics. We believe also that they will promote global cooperation of paediatricians regardless of the limitations imposed by place or age.

Concerning our contact with national paediatric societies, we have to face the same problem as International Pediatric Association (IPA). The new elected presidents/secretaries General and their addresses are not renewed regularly and so, it is often not easy to establish a rapid contact. Please, report all changes in your councils to our webmaster, whose address is following: jan.vejvalka@lfmotol.cuni.cz

The concept of future UNEPSA- activities will change a bit during the next year - Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovenia will become members of the European Union (EU). So, they can be integrated as members in the recognised organisation, which is CESP (Confederation of the European Specialists in Paediatrics). It is logical, the main topic of CESP is to solve problems within the framework of EU. Nevertheless, there are countries in Europe, which do not have a real chance to be integrated into the EU during the next decade. Thousands of paediatricians and millions of children are living in those countries. UNEPSA declares its willingness to improve the assimilation of paediatricians from Eastern European countries in the global family of paediatricians and to promote the last achievements of science and management of health and ill children to these countries.

Help us to establish a functional network of all European paediatricians using the website of UNEPSA!