Foreword

The present issue of the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry is especially devoted to the Proceedings of the 33rd Congress of Theoretical Chemists of Latin Expression (QUITEL in Spanish and CHITEL in other Latin languages). This Congress took place in Havana, Cuba, from September 17 to 21, 2007, and was hosted by the University of Havana in the year of its 280th anniversary (Jan. 5, 1728–2008). One of the oldest universities in the Americas hosted one of the newest branches of science. The Congress followed a long lasting tradition by itself, because the series began in Modena, Italy (1969), and has been extended to many countries where Latin languages are official, and even some others like those in the Magreb, where French, Spanish, and Italian are used extensively in the academic community. An updated history list of CHITEL's is being published in the following pages of this IJQC issue. CHITEL's are not exclusive regarding languages. English and other international languages can be used for written materials (as graphical presentations and posters) although participants are requested to present their oral communications in any Latin language. It creates a significant atmosphere of cooperation, communication, and even fraternity. It is a fact, although the origins of these effects are matters of social research, and any comment would be speculative. Havana resulted as a warm and familiar environment and the large number of attendants together with the scientific level of them broke expectations, not only from the point of view of Cuban organizers but also foreign visitors. The Hotel Nacional de Cuba, an emblematic place in the city, brought also an unexpected scientific spirit. The occasion was also opportune to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the famous paper of Heitler and London 1 showing the first quantum description of chemical bond and the 40th anniversary of the first Cuban paper on quantum chemistry by Lodos and Pérez 2. Havana's QUITEL in 2007 has considered different areas of general interest, such as theoretical foundations, biomolecules, dynamics and kinetics, spectroscopy, surfaces and catalysis. This special issue comprises carefully peer-reviewed contributions presented in the Congress on these themes. About 50 oral communications took place in the Congress (either as plenary lecturers or invited speakers), all of them of very high scientific quality. Moreover, 150 posters distributed into four sessions were also presented, preceded by short oral announcements. The time schedule was truly stressing, although allowed that all participants had access to all presentations. The invited opening lectures were as follows: The attendance was of circa 180 participants coming from different countries: Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, France, Italy, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay, and Venezuela. It was truly regrettable the nonpossibility of several interested colleagues in the United States of America to come. In this edition, several Latin-American residents in Europe and Canada have been included in the Program to increase and stimulate their interaction with Latin-American and European colleagues and with students. We wish to thank the speakers for their lucid and interesting conferences and their active participation in the poster sessions and useful contribution to the plenary activities. We also greatly appreciated all the individuals and institutions allowing QUITEL 2007 to be held in Cuba. The International Scientific Committee was constituted by Manef Abderrabba, from the Université de 7 de Novembre a Carthage, Tunisie, Gustavo Arteca, from the Université Laurentienne, Sudbury, Canada, Gloria Cárdenas-Jirón, from the Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Santiago, Chile, Laura Coitiño, from the Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay, Chantal Daniel, from the Université Louis Pasteur, Strasbourg, France, Claude Daul, from the Université de Fribourg, Fribourg, Suisse, Darío Estrín, from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Stefano Evangelisti, from the Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France, Francesc Illas, from the Universidad de Barcelona, Barcelona, España, Najia Komiha, from the Université Mohammed V-Agdal, Rabat-Agdal, Maroc, Christian Minot, from the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris, France, Fernando Rei Ornellas, from the Universidade do Sao Paulo, Brazil, Pedro Ortiz, from the Universidad de La Habana, La Habana, Cuba, Adrián Roitberg, from the University of Florida, Gainesville, USA, Nino Russo, from the Università della Calabria, Arcavacata di Rende, Italia, Luis Seijo, from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, España. They largely contributed to the high quality of the meeting. The local organization was carried out by a committee integrated by many individuals from different Cuban institutions (in alphabetical order according family names): Carolina Aguiar Puñal, Facultad de Química, Universidad Central de Las Villas ([email protected]), Esther Alonso Becerra, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Yoanna Álvarez Ginarte, Centro de Química Farmacéutica ([email protected]), Yania Caballero López, Universidad e La Habana ([email protected]), Ramón Carrasco Velar, Centro de Química Farmacéutica, (ramon.carr[email protected]), Edelsys Codorniú Hernández, Instituto Superior de Ciencias y Tecnologías Aplicadas ([email protected]), Rachel Crespo Otero, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Lourdes Alicia Díaz Fernández, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Alejandro Gil Tey, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Augusto González, Instituto de Cibernética, Matemática y Física ([email protected]), Susana González Santana, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Anabel Lam Barandela, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales ([email protected]), Kalet León, Centro de Inmunología Molecular ([email protected]), Leonardo Mokarzel Falcón, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Ana Lilian Montero Alejo, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Luis Alberto Montero Cabrera, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Noel Moreno Lemus, Universidad de las Ciencias Informáticas ([email protected]), Ernesto Moreno, Centro de Inmunología Molecular ([email protected]), Cercis Morera Boado, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), José Manuel Nieto Villar, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Pedro Ortiz del Toro, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Juan Alexander Padrón García, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Yoana Pérez Badell, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Carlos Pérez Martínez, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Germán Rojas, Instituto Superior de Ciencias y Tecnologías Aplicadas ([email protected]), Migdalia Romero, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), Jesús Rubayo Soneira, Instituto Superior de Ciencias y Tecnologías Aplicadas ([email protected]), Angel Rabdel Ruiz Salvador, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Materiales ([email protected]), Miguel Ángel Sirés Mitjans, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]), and Reynier Suardíaz del Río, Facultad de Química, Universidad de La Habana ([email protected]). The great majority of such a huge number of individuals were also scientists submitting relevant advances in the congress. We like to mention especially all referees who contributed by reviewing the manuscripts for this issue. Their very delicate, rigorous, valuable, and voluntary collaboration made possible the present publication. The main editorial office of the International Journal of Quantum Chemistry was very collaborative and opened for publishing this special issue. Finally, we would like to express our warmest gratitude to all participants to the Congress, because they truly contributed to the friendly atmosphere and the success of this meeting. Even in adverse conditions when countries and peoples appear very far of mutual understanding, science and good will can overcome all barriers and provide a dose of a very necessary humanity.

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