Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the Organizing Committee, we wish to extend a warm welcome to all participants of the 9th International Kawasaki Disease Symposium.

This is the first International Kawasaki Disease Symposium ever held outside Japan and the United States. In this Symposium, 27 top-notched, outstanding invited speakers are coming to actively participate, and 274 research papers submitted from all over the world are to be presented and discussed. The most important issue, the etiology of Kawasaki disease will be, of course, the focus of presentations and discussions. We hope this Symposium will be a fruitful and illuminating one with new insights, developments, and even breakthrough achievements.

Taipei is a lively and friendly city. We hope you will take time to visit the National Palace Museum and Taipei 101, the tallest building in the world, and to enjoy some of Taiwan's cultural events and delicious Chinese cuisine.

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our gratefulness to the International Program Committee, and the International Faculty, for their invaluable advice, suggestions and their efforts in reviewing the abstracts.

We would like to express our thanks to the Organizing Committee and the Conference Secretariat, for their important contributions; without their meticulous planning and tireless work, holding of this Symposium would not be possible.

Thank you very much for your participation. We wish your stay in Taiwan most pleasant and memorable.

Sincerely yours,

Dear Colleagues,

The Japan Kawasaki Disease Research Center is honored to be a cosponsor of the Ninth International Kawasaki Disease Symposium. The International Kawasaki Disease Symposium has been held eight times, alternating between Japan and the United States. This is the first time that it is being held in a different venue, Taiwan, and it is a happy, new development. It means that we can greet more participants from all over the world. This marks a new era for Kawasaki Disease research.
We look forward very much to the success of this International Kawasaki Disease Symposium.

Dear Colleagues,

It has been 41 years since Dr. Kawasaki’s original publication about the disease that now bears his name. Since that time, thousands of papers reflecting the research of Kawasaki disease (KD) investigators all over the world have been published. Over the years, much has been learned from those papers and from the many presentations at previous international KD conferences regarding epidemiology, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of this disease. However, the one thing we all hope to discover -- the cause of this disease -- remains elusive.

The first International Kawasaki Disease Symposium took place in Hawaii 24 years ago. That meeting provided an opportunity for clinicians and scientists to come together and share their knowledge about KD. It also paved the way for future conferences. At about the time of the first symposium, the American Heart Association and its Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young recognized the importance of KD as a major cause of acquired heart disease in children and approved the expansion of the Endocarditis and Rheumatic Fever Committee to include Kawasaki disease as one of its major areas of focus.

The American Heart Association is honored to be a cosponsor of the Ninth International Kawasaki Disease Symposium. The first eight international KD symposia alternated between Japan and the USA. It is especially noteworthy that this symposium marks the first time to convene in Taiwan, which emphasizes the global nature of, and global interest in, this disease that affects children worldwide. We look forward to this exciting international collaboration and to the important science that will be presented during the next 3 days.

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

On behalf of the Taiwan Pediatric Association, it is our great pleasure to welcome all of you to attend the IX International Kawasaki Disease Symposium (IKDS) that will be held in Taipei Grand Hotel from April 10 to 12, 2008.

We are very honored to co-host this grand event of IKDS in Taipei, Taiwan. We expect this meeting will create more chances for the exchange of professional experiences and provide new ideas in Kawasaki disease research.

As a Co-Organizer of this Symposium, I sincerely welcome all of you to attend this meeting and experience Taiwanese passionate hospitality in beautiful Formosa. The Grand Hotel Taipei, the venue for IX IKDS, with its style of traditional palace
architecture, is a magnificent landmark where you can enjoy the stay and a wonderful place to meet friends and for scientific communication. We sincerely look forward to your visiting, participation, and contribution. Taipei is a lively city that melds the taste of relaxation, history and artistic culture and will stay in your memory. Your participation means a great success.

Yours sincerely,

Dear Delegates,

Welcome to the Ninth International Kawasaki Disease Symposium held here in Taipei!

As a Co-Organizer of the grand event, Taiwan Society of Cardiology is honored to welcome cardiologists and health care professionals from all the world to present and learn about Kawasaki disease. This will be a great opportunity to share and discuss your experiences and learn about the latest advances in the management of this disease.

This is the first time that the International Kawasaki Disease Symposium is held in Taipei, Taiwan. With great pleasure, we hope that all participants will take the opportunity to enjoy our beautiful country, and experience the warm hospitality of our people and embrace our rich culture.

We hope that the Ninth International Kawasaki Disease Symposium here in Taipei, Taiwan will be a rewarding and unforgettable experience for everyone.

Sincerely Yours,