Next stop, Munich
15 November 2007 - The dust has not yet settled on Vienna and we are now starting the preparations for Munich. Next week we will be preparing the pre-arranged programme and over the ensuing weeks, Jeroen Bax will be allocating the slots. Next year the theme will be cardiovascular imaging, we feel sure that the congress in Munich will be as successful as was Vienna.
Closer cooperation and integration with our constituent bodies
Although the highlight of our year is undoubtedly the annual congress, activity continues at Heart House on several different fronts. One of the main themes of my Presidency has been closer cooperation and integration with our constituent bodies. The European Heart Health Charter (EHHC) was launched on 12th June this year and we were delighted to see that it was endorsed by the European Parliament and cited it amongst its Resolutions regarding heart health.
It is now the work of the ESC together with the European Heart Network to implement the EHHC in many of the countries of Europe. This work will be a matter of close collaboration between the ESC and the National Societies as well as the Heart Foundations of Europe. It will give the opportunity to the National Societies to collaborate with the ESC as part of an alliance involved in heart health promotion.
Also, National Society Presidents are actively working with the ESC, particularly on the European Affairs Committee as well the Credentials Committee. It is through the Credentials Committee that we want to encourage more and more Fellows to sign up to the Society so that they can take an active role in the Society. It is expected that all Board members and indeed the majority of Board committee members have shown their commitment to the Society by being an active Fellow before being appointed to these committees.
The group picture is getting wider
In September in Vienna more Fellows were elected than ever before and it was clear to the Credentials Committee that the high quality and outstanding applicants were a potentially huge resource to the Society and in return they will benefit from joining the European and increasingly global family of cardiologists. We do hope that many more this year will take the opportunity of joining the family.
Congress attendees from outside Europe
At the same time we are opening up the doors of the ESC to other countries around the world. It is becoming increasingly evident that many of the attendees at our congress come from outside of Europe, and outside of our extended European Society boundaries; many from South America, South East Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
We would like to welcome all National Societies from around the world to our Affiliate programme. As doctors caring for patients we have a common purpose irrespective of any political divisions; any country that has a recognised national society will be welcome.
November Days to facilitate the dialogue between the mother Society and its scientific bodies
Next week we will be holding the bi-annual meetings with Associations, as well as Working Groups (refered to as the "November Days"). Already the Associations are represented on most of the major Board committees but these meetings of the Associations and Working Groups allows closer interaction and discussion so that the mother Society can better understand the problems and difficulties these scientific bodies have on the one hand and can work together with them so that we can enrich the Society as a whole and the value it gives to its members.
I do hope that you continue to find these newsletters from the European Society of Cardiology helpful and a valuable communication tool.
Kim Fox, ESC President