Words of welcome

Dear Colleagues,

It is with great pleasure that I invite you to
participate in the XVIIIth Regional Congress of ISBT, Asia which will be held from 10 – 13 November 2007 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Hanoi, the one-thousand-year Capital of Vietnam, is a pleasant and charming city in the centre of the Indochina Peninsula. The city reflects the rich heritage and cultural diversity of Vietnamese people who are renowned for their hospitality and friendliness. Referred as the 'Paris of the Orient' and conferred the honorific title "The City of Peace" by UNESCO, Hanoi is one of the most beguiling cities in Asia with a lovely landscape graced by beautiful lakes, shaded boulevards and verdant parks. The city centre is an architectural museum piece with elegant villas and its blocks of ochre buildings, hundreds of antique pagodas and temples retaining the air of peaceful and austere provincial town, which offers spectacular scenery for the visitors.

The congress programme will feature internationally recognised specialists in the varied fields of transfusion medicine. Along with state-of-art medical and scientific presentations with the most up-to-date scientific discoveries, the programme will also focus on the issues of blood transfusion services in resource-limited countries. XVIIIth Regional Congress of ISBT, Asia will provide you an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and experiences, setting up and renew friendships, learn more about transfusion medicine and support the global endeavours of ISBT to ensure blood safety all over the world.

The XVIIIth Regional Congress of ISBT, Asia is shaping us as the most comprehensive congress of ISBT ever. Don’t miss it!

We look forward to welcoming you all in Hanoi.

Prof. Nguyen Anh Tri Congress President