Duarte Nuno Vieira

President of the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine

Carlos Farinha

Director of the Portuguese Police Scientific Laboratory

From 14th to 17th September 2011, the 19th Triennial Meeting of the International Association of Forensic Sciences (IAFS) will be held in Funchal (Madeira, Portugal), together with the 9th Triennial Meeting of the World Police Medical Officers (WPMO) and the 5th Meeting of the Mediterranean Academy of Forensic Sciences (MAFS). These joint meetings will be preceded by workshops that will take place between the 12th and the 14th September.

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).

IAFS, WPMO & MAFS 2011 will take place at the Pestana Casino Park Hotel, a beautiful building designed by the famous Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, which stands above the sea, just 5 minutes walking distance from the centre of Funchal. Madeira is a friendly and charming island, with a beautiful nature, fantastic climate and all kind of entertainments (“levadas” walking tours, boat trips, golf, big game fishing, dolphin/wales watching, scuba diving, sightseeing, cable cars, toboggan ride, visits to madeira wine lodges, natural pools, nightlife entertainment, casino, etc.).

You may see some photographs of Madeira and of Pestana Casino Park Hotel on the website of these joint meetings (www.iafs2011.mj.pt).

We are doing our best to make IAFS, WPMO & MAFS 2011 one of the best scientific events ever in the forensic sciences field. From the scientific point of view, this joint meeting will surely be an unforgettable event. All the forensic sciences areas will be open to discussion and analysis and the meeting will offer a wonderful opportunity to update knowledge concerning the most recent scientific, technological and doctrinal advances, to share ideas and experiences and, of course, to contact with colleagues from all over the world. We expect to have participants from more than 80 different countries of the five continents and we are inviting, as keynote speakers, some of the most distinguished international professionals and academics from the different forensic sciences areas.

All information about this event is available in this website, where you can also register and submit your abstracts. Please fulfill our mailing list (in this website), in order to have your contact for future announcements. Although English will be the official language of the meeting, some rooms have been especially reserved for presentations in French, Spanish and Portuguese.

We would be very grateful if you could publicize this information around your institution, passing it on to anyone that may be interested in participating in the Conference.

You can also contact us by telephone (+351 239 854 276/242), fax (+351 239 836 470/820 549) or email: iafs2011@mj.pt.

We can assure you that after your stay in Madeira you will return home with unforgettable memories of this conference and of your days spent in Portugal.


Duarte Nuno Vieira
(President of the Portuguese National Institute of Legal Medicine)

Carlos Farinha
(Director of the Portuguese Police Scientific Laboratory)