4th MEETING OF INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF FOOT ANKLE SOCIETIES IFFAS2011

Dear Colleagues:

It is with regret that we inform you that due to the series of major disasters that have struck the country of Japan, a decision has been made to cancel the 4th Triennial International Federation of Foot & Ankle Societies (IFFAS) meeting scheduled for Sept. 21-24, 2011 in Nara, Japan. The destructive earthquake, massive tsunami, and the nuclear radiation problems that followed have created very difficult circumstances for travel and meetings in Japan, and this has led the leadership of the IFFAS Asian Federation to make this decision.

The Japanese host organizing committee of the 4th Triennial IFFAS meeting planned an excellent scientific program and accompanying social events and has been looking forward to hosting orthopaedic foot and ankle colleagues from around the world in Nara. A large number of excellent abstracts were submitted for the meeting and have been judged by faculty members. The organizing committee is developing a plan to create a CD of the final program, and registration fees will be refunded.

Despite the severe disruption to Japanese society and the loss of so many lives due to the terrible disasters, the resolve of the Japanese people is strong. The Japanese Society for Surgery of the Foot and its members appreciate the many expressions of support that have been received from colleagues around the world. We apologize that this meeting cannot be held and ask for your understanding with this decision.

We look forward to seeing you at other foot and ankle meetings and at the 2014 Triennial IFFAS meeting to be held September 19-21, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois USA, hosted by the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society.

Sincerely,