Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Mediterranean Academy of Forensic Sciences (MAFS), it is a great honour for me to welcome you to the 5^th International MAFS meeting to be held in Madeira Island in the City of Funchal (Portugal). Other scientific events will be taking place simultaneously, namely the 19^th Triennial International of the International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) and the 9^th Triennial Meeting of the World Police Medical Meeting (WPMO).

Several other international associations will also hold their board meetings and/or organize scientific sessions and workshops during IAFS, WPMO & MAFS 2011. These include the AAFS (American Academy of Forensic Sciences), IOFOS (International Organization for Forensic Odonto-Stomatology), ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Sciences), WAML (World Association of Medical Law), ECLM (European Council of Legal Medicine), IALM (International Academy of Legal Medicine), RIAMLCF (Iberoamerican Network of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Science Institutions), ICRC (International Committee of Red Cross), IRCT (International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims), TIFS (The International Forensic Summit) and IFSA (International Forensic Strategic Alliance).

MAFS is a new but extraordinary active society founded in 2003, with the main aim to develop and exchange information and collaboration among Forensic Sciences experts (forensic psychiatry, bioethics, legal odontology, genetics, fingerprinting, toxicology, ballistics, materials analysis, digital reconstruction, legal medicine, criminology, etc). The objective is to improve the actual strategies to prevent crime in its various forms and to find out and get the offenders to justice. MAFS's scope is based on the Mediterranean countries exchange of history, geographic closeness and also mutual problems. MAFS is a society open to collaborate with other countries in the world and its meetings have always been an opportunity, not only to discuss shared problems in the area, but for scientific exchange and cooperation between experts from all over the world.

For this reason we have decided to accept the kind offer of Prof. Duarte Nuno Vieira to join our biennial congress with the other scientific events that are going to be held simultaneously in Madeira. This will be an opportunity to learn from the most recognized specialists in the field and to share ideas and strategies with other countries with, probably, similar education problems and scientific research.

Further information on the MAFS scientific program and the programs of the other events can be found in this website and at www.mafs.info where you can also register and get information about how to reach Funchal.

We hope that the meeting will not only be a time for sharing and learning, but also an enriching experience in the human aspects as it will be a new opportunity to spend a pleasant time with our colleagues from all over the world, to share our mutual scientific interest, to see Madeira’s beautiful landscapes and to feel the warmth of its people.

On behalf of the MAFS organizing committee I would like to, once again, welcome you in Funchal, Madeira.

Warmest wishes,

Prof. Angel Carracedo
(MAFS President)