Dear Friends,

Through this, my first correspondence to the IPEG membership, I would like to extend my most sincere thanks to Past President Al-Qhatani, the program committee and the local organizing team for their tireless work and for an outstanding annual IPEG meeting in Santiago. Because of you the annual meeting was tremendous scientific AND social success. In fact, with more than 600 participants, Santiago 2019 was the largest stand-alone IPEG meeting ever, and we learned that personal involvement and continuous communication vitalized IPEG throughout the year and inspired people from all over the world to join.

I feel that as we prepare for IPEG 2020 in the months to come it is imperative that we continue this engagement for IPEG. There will be numerous challenges to come, including the administrative work of IPEG, and I am sure that our CEO, Dan Ostlie, will efficiently manage IPEG together with JQ and BSC. Highlights to come include the Middle East Chapter meeting, the US pediatric surgery fellows course led by Kathy Barsness, and several other events. They all will strengthen IPEG’s worldwide impact on excellent education and training in pediatric endosurgery.

Finally, we have to prepare for Vienna in 2020. For the first time ever IPEG, EUPSA and ESPES will host one joint conference. We are confident that this meeting will be „the hotspot of pediatric surgery“ in 2020.  Without a doubt this meeting should and will offer IPEG members not only latest information and trends in pediatric endosurgery, but also opening a chance to „think outside the box“ and attend lectures that we rarely hear, but should know of! What a great opportunity for all pediatric surgeons throughout the world.

Please join me in my enthusiasm for IPEG 2020 and I hope to see you all there.

Kind regards,

Holger Till, MD
IPEG President 2020