Pan Arab - Journals Vol4, No.2 - Message from the Editor

Volume 4, No.2

October 2000

SPOTLIGHT ON MARRAKESH IN 2005

As you may be aware, Marrakesh has finally realised the privilege to hold the 13th World Congress of Neurosurgery, in the year 2005. This decision was approved by the WFNS Executive Committee, in its interim meeting held in San Francisco on April 9, 2000. This is the first time since 1957 that this congress will be held in both an African and Arab state. With such a choice, the WFNS have demonstrated their real character of a WORLD organisation and their increasing concern with the improvement of neurosurgery in developing countries.

The vote of the WFNS Executive Committee in favour of Marrakesh is the outcome of a 7-year sustained campaign led by the Moroccan Society of Neurosurgery. It was motivated by the necessity to hold this congress in Africa and by Marrakesh's special assets of hospitality and organisation. Eagerness to promote Marrakesh was spontaneously supported by the Pan Arab Society of Neurosurgery and the PAANS (Pan African Associations of Neurosurgical Sciences). However, it took many years for most neurosurgeons, worldwide, to unite around Marrakesh.

If this choice rewards the sustained belief of the Moroccan Society of Neurosurgery to have the WFNS meet in Africa, it confirms as well the recognition of the international neurosurgical community of the role played by neurosurgeons from Arab and African states during the last years.

Marrakesh will be over the next 5 years, the focus of progress and new techniques recently developed in neurosurgery. Already prestigious for its history and culture, Marrakesh will establish its scientific merit with this meeting, which will bring together thousands of neurosurgeons from all continents, and companies exhibiting their products and demonstrating state of the art equipment.

So that this event will achieve absolute effectiveness, Arab and African neurosurgeons should take action in a number of specific areas:

Education: by encouraging local training of young neurosurgeons to achieve prompt self-sufficiency. In this way, by 2005 we could have a larger involvement from African and Arab countries, especially with particular incentives and facilities offered to young neurosurgeons.

Scientific publication: efforts should be doubled. Indeed, we are looking forward to more research papers and articles being presented and published. This will raise Arab and African scientific participation in the 2005 congress to an outstanding level

Organisation: it has become important to create neurosurgical societies in countries with a sufficient number of neurosurgeons and to enhance their association with the WFNS. It is an equally opportune time for the PAANS, which now numbers more than 600 neurosurgeons including 6 national societies, to develop into a continental association of neurosurgeons and continue to work jointly with other neuroscience organisations.

All these factors will ensure an effective participation of Arab and African neurosurgeons in the organisation of the 2005 congress. On behalf of the Moroccan Society of Neurosurgery, I would like to thank all those who have devoted a great deal of their time to the promotion of the Marrakesh candidature handling it from the beginning with extreme gravity and those who have been following with great concern the stages of the candidature and who have supported it in international meetings. Without the help of all these people, Marrakesh could not have reached its present acceptance to hold this prestigious meeting. I am sincerely grateful to the president of the WFNS, Dr. Majid Samii, to the Officers and the members of the WFNS Executive Committee and to all national and continental societies of neurosurgery for their trust in Marrakesh. My special thanks go to them for having created the opportunity for Arab and African neurosurgeons to prove their skills and knowledge. We are truly looking forward to welcoming you all and we assure you that the Moroccan Society of Neurosurgery and their partners, under the patronage of His Majesty King Mohamed VI will not spare any effort to ensure this congress takes place in excellent conditions and that it will long be remembered.

Prof. Abdelslam El Khamlichi
President Moroccan Society of Neurosurgery