yet again, to Stefano and Professor Luigi Sevaggi, the Honorary President of the XVII Annual Scientific Meeting of the ISGE. I think that all members who attended the meeting would agree that it was the most successful meeting in the history of our Society as measured by more than 1000 delegates in attendance.

Our VP assured us that the meeting would be a success and, I am pleased to say, he was true to his word. Succesful Pre-Congress workshops kicked of the main program which adequately covered the very wide spectrum of gynecolic endoscopy with a wide variety of overseas and local speakers.

The program also integrated special small boutique meetings where overseas societies were represented including the AAGL and the Pelvic Pain Society. An excellent live surgery program, with special emphasis on hysteroscopic surgery (close to Stefano’s heart) complimented the Scientific program. The venue for the conference from a visitor’s perspective was,to say the least,interesting. I imagined from the photos of the old town that I would be staying in some ancient fortress which had been converted to a 5 star hotel but, alas, not to be. The Sheraton was obviously the only hotel that could accommodate a conference of this size so visits to the old town became a short trip in a bus or a taxi.

For those who were unaware, Stefano nearly had the area around the hotel rebuilt just for the conference.

No conference works without the support of industry and, on behalf of the ISGE, I would like to thank all those companies who generously supported this meeting. I hope many take heart from the attendance at this meeting and come on board as regular sponsors of our meetings.

The environs of Bari provided many sightseeing opportunities and I hope most of you got the opportunity to experience the charm of Puglia with its beautiful coastal villages.

I have included in my summary some happy snaps. As we all know a good meeting includes a good social program and of that we were assured-none were disappointed.

Finally, congratulations again to the organisers, and thank you to all the Board members who, yet again, gave so generously of their time to attend the meetings which are so necessary for the Society to run smoothly.

I hope to see many of you in Mexico in October and again in Thailand in March 2009.

Best wishes to all,

President, ISGE