Welcome Letter

Dear Colleagues,

In the name of the Local Organizing Committee I invite you to come to Ljubljana, Slovenia, to the 26th European Conference on General Thoracic Surgery from 27th to 30th May 2018.

Ljubljana is the capital of the Republic of Slovenia which is a Central European country, geographically located in the heart of the old continent bordering on Austria, Italy, Hungary and Croatia. The three borders point between Slovenia, Austria and Italy is the unique ethnical point of the world because only at this point the three ethnical groups of nations meet. Italy representing the Romanic speaking nations spreading southwest to the southern borders of the South America. Austria representing the Germanic speaking nations spreading north to the northern borders of Europe. And Slovenia representing the Slavic speaking nation spreading East to the eastern border of Russia. Slovenia is a very small but at the same time a very diverse country, with the southeastern part of the Alps, a coast of the Adriatic Sea and the Pannonian region at the East. Ljubljana is localized centrally in the country, so it is very easy to travel to all parts of the country in one day. You can visit the Adriatic Sea, the Alps or the Pannonian region. Ljubljana is an ancient city with a very beautiful medieval center, but at the same time it is very young at heart. If Vienna and Prague got married and had a baby, then this child would certainly be Ljubljana. Ljubljana is definitely a historical city but also culturally vibrant with a blooming café society and immersed in the green surrounding. In 2016 it has been named the European Green Capital. Whether you see life in black or white you might not have known us yet, but when you come to us next year our hospitality will be warm and genuine. The venue of the Conference is located in the very center of Ljubljana, so you will be able to walk from all the hotels to the Congress Center and from the Congress Center to the old medieval attractive parts of Ljubljana with nice restaurants and cafes.

It is my honor to invite you, all the colleagues from all the continents of the world, to come to Ljubljana. With the ESTS Council we will do our best to make your coming as agreeable and rewarding as possible and hoping that you will leave Slovenia at the end of May 2018 professionally and socially rewarded.

Looking forward to seeing you in Ljubljana,
Marko Bitenc, Chair of LOC

Dear members, friends and distinguished guests

Why would you all be in Ljubljana between the 27th and 30th of May 2018?
The European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS), our Family, is hosting its 26th Annual conference. Together, we will be celebrating 25 years of constant presence, growth and strength in the Thoracic Surgical Fraternity.
An ever exciting program with renowned speakers, Junior Surgeons and Industry partners will guarantee a meeting worth not only attending but also actively contributing.
This year, our Program Committee will be encouraging stronger junior family member participation. New educational streamlined pathways will be introduced. And the exhibition village will offer first hand introduction to new and exciting technology with one to one interaction.
A special welcome and gratitude to our Industry Partners who have always considered and supported our educational needs.
Our Society remains a Global Organization with European roots. Through such educational events, it cares for all Thoracic Surgeons and their patients across the Globe. Their concerns and quest to treat Thoracic pathology is our mission statement.

We are confident that during the Conference, Ljubljana, with its beauty, its local residents and our members will provide the best ‘ingredients’ for a meeting to be long remembered by its delegates and the city itself.

Kostas Papagiannopoulos MD, MMED THORAX, CTH
President ESTS