Dear Colleagues
On behalf of the organizing committee I welcome you to the 52nd Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons combined meeting with the Australian and New Zealand Association of Paediatric Surgeons and the New Zealand Society of Paediatric Surgeons.
This is going to be a sensational meeting, both for its scientific content and for its social opportunities. We invite you to enjoy our kiwi hospitality. We want you to have fun. And we want you to have a memorable holiday in one of the most spectacularly beautiful parts of the world.
The conference is to be held at the Christchurch Town Hall, at the heart of a city with a rich and vibrant history. This world class venue has recently been re built following the 2011 earthquakes and is now a world-class and modern meeting facility with stunning architecture. It is conveniently located in the central city on the banks of the Avon River, and is within easy walking distance of most of the key attractions of the city.
Christchurch itself is renowned for the timeless beauty of its parks and gardens, with the attractive and clear Avon River meandering through them. Christchurch is a city clearly focused on the future: it is still being repaired and rebuilt following the devastating 2010-2011 earthquakes, but already has a reputation for being vibrant and optimistic. It is enjoying its modern and unique architecture, an array of quality restaurants, and brand-new state-of-the-art facilities. It is keen to showcase these at this international meeting.
The appeal of this conference extends well beyond the city: Christchurch is located at the centre of New Zealand's scenic South Island with easy access to the numerous nearby mountains, lakes, rivers, hot pools, harbours and beaches - these provide a myriad of recreational opportunities including skiing, golf, bungy jumping, white water rafting, mountain biking, hiking and mountaineering, hot-air ballooning, gliding, wind surfing, whale watching and the opportunity to visit world class wineries and gardens. Make the most of them while you are here.
Our expectation is that this meeting will be one of the largest paediatric surgical meetings ever held in the Southern Hemisphere. Its content will encompass the full scope of paediatric surgery, and there will be something for everyone. We are configuring the scientific meeting in a way to maximize its value to conference delegates, and to allow more attendees to present their research and insights. There will also be a neonatal thoracoscopic workshop.
In short, this is not a meeting to be missed. The organising committee is determined to ensure you enjoy every minute of it, and that you will bring home a lot of knowledge and wisdom to use in your own surgical practice.
Spencer Beasley
Local Organizing Chair