Greetings from Brazil!

We want to invite IACAPAP members and professionals interested in child and adolescent mental health and development from all over the world to join the 26th World Congress of IACAPAP, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro in May 2024.

We will bring together international experts from different areas of child and adolescent mental health to discuss discoveries and new avenues in the field, pushing the limits of the current knowledge. With the congress theme “Child development, mental health challenges and the future of nations” we will also bring together professionals from complementary fields, such as mental health, education, economics, justice, policymakers, and members from civil society, to strengthen their knowledge and connections supporting the understanding that nations will only prosper if their children and adolescents can thrive.

This will be the first IACAPAP Congress to be held in Latin America. Brazil is a wonderful country, with "no shortage of grandeur” as has been frequently said. It offers warm people, rich culture, the greatest biodiversity on the planet, and an efficient infrastructure for tourism. The Congress will be the perfect opportunity to congregate colleagues from the region and strengthen our field locally, and also to establish new collaborations and connections with colleagues from all over the world. Delegates will benefit from a broad and thought-provoking scientific program and experience a carefully planned rich social and cultural program.

We look forward to meeting you in Rio de Janeiro!

Guilherme V. Polanczyk
Conference Chair

We extend a warm and enthusiastic welcome to all of you who will be attending the 2024 International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions annual meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This marks a truly special moment in our organization's history, as we gather in Latin America for the first time and bring together experts from all over the world.

The theme of this year's meeting, "Child development, mental health challenges, and the future of nations," reflects the importance of our work in promoting the well-being and futures of children and adolescents everywhere. We are confident that this gathering will bring about new perspectives, cutting-edge research, and collaborative efforts to tackle the mental health issues facing our young generation.

As we come together in this vibrant city, let us embrace the spirit of collaboration, inclusiveness, and innovation. Let us work to build bridges across regions and disciplines, and let us strive towards a common goal of creating a brighter future for children and adolescents everywhere.

We look forward to seeing you all in Rio de Janeiro, and we are eager to experience the impact that this annual meeting will have on our field and the world.

Matías Irarrázaval Domínguez
Scientific Committee Chair

Dear colleagues and friends of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions, It is our pleasure to effusively welcome you all to our 2024 congress that will take place for the first time in Latin America. We are sure this meeting will be an invaluable opportunity for learning, exchange knowledge and experiences, find old and make new friends. The atmosphere and beauty of Rio de Janeiro and the warmth of its people make this city one of the best places worldwide to have a meeting like ours. Never before has it been so necessary to understand the needs of our children and adolescents suffering from mental disorders, the multiple roots of these disorders affecting their development and to jointly explore treatments that are effective and make sense to the youths. This is a time for finding solutions together. For this reason, we proposed a meeting where people from different areas interested in child mental health and development will have space and voice. We are eager to have you in Rio with us!

Luis Augusto Rohde
President, International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions

One of the symbols of the city of Rio de Janeiro is the statue of Christ the Redeemer, which blesses everyone from above.

Like the statue, we await all IACAPAP colleagues and friends with open arms. It will be a unique opportunity to exchange experiences, updates and formulate proposals always aiming at the best for our children and adolescents.

We are preparing an unforgettable event and we are very honored to host an IACAPAP congress that is particularly meaningful for us professionals in Latin America.

Welcome to our city!

Ricardo Krause
President, Brazilian Association of Neurology and Child Psychiatry and Allied Professions

For the first time in its history, IACAPAP meeting will take place in Latin América. Indeed, we are summoned to attend the 2024 IACAPAP meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, with the central theme "Child development, mental health challenges, and the future of nations".

We consider it a brilliant occasion for Latin American colleagues, taking into account that the best exponents of the specialty will be present, which will give us the opportunity to make known the characteristics - and sometimes uniqueness - of the child an adolescent mental health situation in our countries, always seeking better health for our children. Needless to say that to the high professional level are added the attractions of a city as beautiful as Rio de Janeiro.

With all the Latin American warmth we are waiting for you in Rio!

Andrés Arce
President of the Latin American Federation of Childhood, Adolescent, Family Psychiatry, and Allied Professions - FLAPIA