<html><head><style type="text/css"><!-- DIV {margin:0px;} --></style></head><body><div style="font-family:times new roman, new york, times, serif;font-size:14pt"><P><FONT size=4>Hola:</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=4>Hasta el momento no me habia atrevido a escribir por no haber participado en el curso de este año, espero estar en el proximo.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=4>Me he a ariesgado a escribirles para contarles del proximo encuentro de lepidopterologia neotropical que se realizara en el instituto smithsoniano en Panama. Pueden visitar la página web: </FONT><A href="http://striweb.si.edu/iielen/"><FONT size=4>http://striweb.si.edu/iielen/</FONT></A>, algunos de ustedes ya sabrían, sin embargo, creo que no sobra recordarlo.</P>
<P><FONT size=4></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=4>Al parecer la publicidad no ha sido nuy buena y podrian reprogramar el evento y aumentar el apoyo para los asistentes, espero que sea de su interes.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4></FONT> </P>
<P><FONT size=4>Manuel Berrio</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=4>A continuación reproduzco la comunicación original que recibi.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT size=3></FONT> </P>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=3>Conference on Neotropical Lepidoptera - 2nd notice</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><EM><FONT size=3>II ELEN:<BR>Conference on Neotropical Lepidoptera<BR>Encontro sobre Lepidoptera Neotropicais<BR>Encuentro sobre Lepidoptera Neotropical</FONT></EM></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Dear Lepidopterists,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>It has been some time since the first <EM>II ELEN</EM> notice. The response to that first notice was close to zero. We surmise that the silence was due to a combination of THREE things, </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>1) the lack of further communication from our part (mainly my lack of experience and common sense regarding organizing a meeting, plus personal difficulties beyond my control);</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>2) the lack of funding to support participants, especially students;</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>3) the fact that the website was not fully in place then.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Since then, a handful of responses have trickled in. Among those, the bright spot was Helena Romanowski, who single-handedly assembled a preliminary outline of speakers. However, few of those potential speakers communicated directly with us and nobody has registered for the meeting. Recently, Astrid Caldas has been trying to gather speakers and responses, with mixed results.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Now that the appointed hour is approaching we must make the decision whether to hold this meeting in April/May as originally planned, or to delay it until October to give you more time to respond, and in turn to give us more time to seek funding, and as well because that would be a better time for many potential participants. But we need to hear from you. Obtaining funding is one of those which came first, the chicken or the egg, situations. Yes, it's <U>difficult for you</U> to decide whether to commit to participation if you don't know about funding. But, it's <U>nearly impossible for us</U> to obtain the funding to bring people here if we don't know how many of you there will be.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>The website is up, in all three languages at </FONT><A href="http://striweb.si.edu/iielen" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#810081 size=3>http://striweb.si.edu/iielen</FONT></A><FONT size=3>. Please let us know as soon as possible whether:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3><FONT color=#ff0000>1)</FONT> Yes, I plan to attend <EM>II ELEN</EM>, with or without financial support. <FONT color=#ff0000>2)</FONT> Yes, I would like to attend, but need help with funding. <FONT color=#ff0000>3)</FONT> I can attend only if the conference is held in April/May. <FONT color=#ff0000>4)</FONT> I can attend only if it is held in October. <FONT color=#ff0000>5)</FONT> Yes, I can attend either time. <FONT color=#ff0000>6)</FONT> No, I will not attend no matter what or when.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>The good news is that we have been granted <FONT color=#ff0000>funding for simultaneous trilingual translation</FONT> for the conference. Also, <FONT color=#ff0000>Copa Airlines</FONT> can provide us with special rates. But, how good those rates will be depends upon how many people will be flying with them. So, let us know what airline you will use.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>As Astrid put it, "We cannot promise anything, but if you do come you will greatly increase our chances of getting funding; and if we get funding, you will get some help." So please spread the word, and let us know as soon as possible what your situation is.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3><U>So far, these are our Symposia</U>:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>"It's a whole New World: recent reviews in systematics"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>"Diverse views on Biodiversity"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>"Occurrence and distribution of Butterflies in south Brasil"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>"Microlepidoptera richness in agricultural and natural systems"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3><U>And, so far, those who say they will participate are</U>:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Felipe Amorim<BR>Andrés Angulo<BR>Alejandro Barro<BR>Gabriela Bentancur<BR>Jorge Bizarro<BR>Patrick Blandin<BR>John Brown<BR>Astrid Caldas<BR>Amabilio Camargo<BR>Catherine Cassildé<BR>Nicola Chamberlain <BR>Richard ffrench-Constant<BR>Marcelo Duarte<BR>Giovanny Fagua<BR>André Victor Lucci Freitas<BR>Winnie Hallwachs<BR>Dan Janzen<BR>Chris Jiggins<BR>Manuel Balcázar Lara<BR>Ana Paula da Silva Loffredo<BR>Armando Luis Martínez<BR>Mirian Medina Hay-Roe<BR>Ana Beatriz Morais<BR>Yumi Oki<BR>Helena Onody<BR>Carmen Pozo<BR>Colin Prince<BR>Bob Robbins<BR>Lazaro Roque<BR>Christian Salcedo<BR>Rosina Seguí<BR>Marysol Trujano<BR>Anayani Valderrama<BR>Rosemary Vieira<BR>Roger Vila<BR>Angel Viloria<BR>Andrew Warren<BR>Keith Willmott<BR>Adriana Zapata<BR>Manuela Zimmermann</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>Sincerely yours,<BR> Annette Aiello<BR> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3><FONT color=#0000ff>Mail from/to USA</FONT><BR> Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute<BR> Attn: Dr. Annette Aiello<BR> Unit 0948<BR> APO AA 34002-0948</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3><FONT color=#0000ff>Mail from/to other countries</FONT><BR> Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute<BR> Attn: Dr. Annette Aiello<BR> Apartado 0843-03092 Balboa, Ancon<BR> Panamá, Rep. de Panamá</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3>E-mail: </FONT><A href="mailto:elen@si.edu" target=_blank rel=nofollow><FONT color=#0000ff size=3>elen@si.edu</FONT></A><BR><FONT size=3>Fax: 011 (507) 212-8148<BR>Phone (satellite link from US): (202) 786-2099, ext 8022<BR>Phone (international): 011 (507) 212-8022</FONT></DIV></div><br>
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