Dear Friends and Colleagues,
On behalf of the International Organising Committee and the Scientific Advisory Committee, it gives us great pleasure to invite you to the 7th Asian & Oceanian Epilepsy Congress (AOEC) which will take place in beautiful Xiamen on the south-east coast of China, from the 15th to the 18th May 2008.
We hope that you will find the Scientific Programme at least as attractive as with the earlier Asian & Oceanian Epilepsy Congresses. The main topics are Diagnostic Issues in Paediatric Epileptology; Surgical Treatment of Symptomatic Epilepsy in Asia; Epilepsy Genetics – Towards Daily Practice; Epilepsy and Co-morbidities and Social Issues. We have introduced some new features in the programme which include holding post main sessions simultaneously with other parallel sessions and platform sessions. The parallel sessions feature topics on Classification, Imaging, AED Issues, Ethical Issues and Basic Science as well as informative Video sessions. These topics in the Main, Post-Main and Parallel sessions have been selected to ensure that the AOEC continues to be of high academic standard and clinically relevant.
A Chairman’s Symposium has been added to the first day of the congress. On the last day a Highlights session will take place which will sum up the main topics discussed at the 7th AOEC. The inaugural Masakazu Seino Memorial Lecture will be held during the congress and we hope that the Memorial Lecture will become a permanent feature of future AOEC meetings. In addition, there will be a two-day programme for people with epilepsy, focusing on support and education as well as the HOPE project.
A number of bursaries will be available to those that submit an abstract as well as to people with an interest in the meeting who do not have this possibility; full details on both applications will be available shortly on the congress website. We would like to encourage all researchers and practitioners to consider contributing to the programme by submitting abstracts for oral and poster presentations. Investigators from diverse fields of research and both patient groups and foundations are making important progress in the understanding of epilepsy and it is vital that this information is shared and acknowledged. Please note the deadline in your diaries of the 15th January 2008 for submission of an abstract or a bursary award.
Xiamen is a vibrant and bustling city that has a relaxing coastal charm and boasts numerous tourist attractions, including islands, temples and parks. It is also called “Egret Island” due to the thousands of egrets inhabiting there which is a truly magical sight. Places to visit include Gulangyu Island, Zhongshan Park, Xiamen Underwater Sea World and Nanpuoto Temple, to name but a few.
We look forward to welcoming you to Xiamen in 2008 and we hope that you will benefit greatly from the scientific programme, renew friendships, share information and ideas with new acquaintances and enjoy your stay in one of China’s finest cities.
With warm regards,
Shichuo Li (China)
Co-chair, International Organising Committee
President, China Association Against Epilepsy
Susanne Lund (Sweden)
Co-chair, International Organising Committee
President, International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE)
Peter Wolf (Denmark)
Co-chair, International Organising Committee
President, International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)
Shih Hui Lim (Singapore)
Co-chair, Scientific Advisory Committee
Chair, Commission on Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Liwen Wu (China)
Co-chair, Scientific Advisory Committee
