Edinburgh Hosts the International Cosmetic Surgery Conference
Plastic surgery has been practiced in Europe for many years. The first supranational society for plastic surgeons was founded in 1936 and named the Societe Eropeene de Chirurgie Structive. The activities of this association were ceased near the beginning of WWII and never resumed. It was 1989, before a new supranational society was again formed, this time known as the European Society of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (ESPRAS). Every two years this society meets for clinical and aesthetic presentations. The year of 2014 will see the 12th annual European Plastic Surgery Congress held in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. This will be the first time that a plastic surgery conference has been held in the UK since 1959.
The British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRS) in coordination with Congrex UK and the Edinburgh Convention Bureau won the bid. The bid was won in part because of the choice of this city over others in the UK. Edinburgh is an easily accessible city due to its major transport links including the Waverley railway station and the Edinburgh Airport. The historical allure of Edinburgh was also an asset in the bid, with Holyrood Park, Edinburgh Castle, and Craigmillar Castle all attesting to its rich history. Edinburgh is home to state-of-the-art venues and the conference will be held at the modern Edinburgh International Conference Centre.
Chris Khoo, a former President and European Board member, was one of the individuals who presented the bid and said, “It was important to remind voting delegates of the founding of the British Association in 1946, its longstanding connections with Europe in the training of surgeons, and its extensive experience in organising Meetings and Conferences.”
BAPRAS is working closely with Congrex UK to make this event spectacular. They have already formed a local organizing committee and have high expectations. The Account Manager from Congrex UK, Krystina Snaith is very happy with the collaboration between the two companies. She said, “The 12th ESPRAS Congress is an extremely prestigious congress to organise, and we are delighted to have been able to work
with BAPRAS and the Edinburgh city partners from the outset, through the bidding process to what we very much hope will be a hugely successful event that will attract a record attendance for ESPRAS Congress in Edinburgh in 2014.” An estimated 1,00o members of the cosmetic surgery community from around the world are expected to attend the Congress.
