I have just returned home from Dubai, where the Middle East African Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) held its IX International Congress, a great success, with more than 2000 participants from 52 countries. With the support of MEACO and the ICO Foundation, the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) organized its second World Ophthalmology Roundtable on Leadership Development (WORLD) in Dubai, this time with 21 ophthalmologists from 13 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. I believe it will turn out to be an historic meeting, and I will report to you more about it in the future. But this issue of IFOS Notes will focus on the highlights of the ICO meeting the previous week in Cape Town, South Africa that are most relevant to members of the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS). Thanks to all who contributed to our deliberations in Cape Town, particularly the Council, Advisory Committee and those who sent us your ideas for the strategic planning process. 1. Japanese Ophthalmological Society Will Host WOC in 2014 Tokyo will be the site of the 2014 World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC), tentatively scheduled for cherry blossom time in late March. The Council selected a bid from Japanese Ophthalmological Society to host the Congress in Tokyo over compelling proposals from the Royal College of Ophthalmologists of Thailand (for Bangkok) and All-India Ophthalmological Society (Delhi). Sincere thanks to all three societies, which put a lot of effort and heart into their bids. The Council changed its policy to consider proposals for future World Ophthalmology Congresses six years ahead of time, rather than eight. So we will not consider bids for the 2016 World Ophthalmology until 2010. 2. Council Approves Strategic Directions and Budget The Council approved the proposed ICO Strategic Plan, which defines critical future directions for the organization, including:
Individual Council and Advisory Committee members and committee chairs have defined action plans to carry out the highest priority objectives in the Plan, which you can review at www.icoph.org/plan/part1.html. The Council approved a $US 1.13 million budget for 2007, with an additional $600,000 allocated to a reserve fund. Treasurer Yasuo Tano, MD, reported that previous Treasurer Balder Gloor, MD, left the ICO in excellent financial condition, but we will need to find additional sources of revenue to accomplish our ambitious plans. 3. Council Recommends “ICO” as Single Name The Council will recommend that IFOS approve changes in the Statutes next year to make “International Council of Ophthalmology” the single name of the organization. Currently, the International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (IFOS) is the official name, and the ICO is the executive body. But “ICO” has become much better known than “IFOS” in recent years, and the relationship is confusing to many. Participants in the strategic planning process had recommended moving to a single name. The Council considered “World Ophthalmology Council” as an alternative but decided to recommend staying with ICO. If approved at the IFOS General Assembly on June 27, 2008 in Hong Kong, societies that are members of IFOS will be come members of the “Council,” and the current Council will become the Board of Trustees. 4. ICO To Co-Sponsor Other International Congresses The Council will consider co-sponsoring international congresses with supranational, national or subspecialty societies in years when there is no World Ophthalmology Congress (i.e., 2009, 2011, etc.). The idea was proposed during the strategic planning process, and the Officers considered various options and preliminary guidelines for co-sponsorship when we met prior to the Council in Cape Town. We agreed to limit co-sponsorship to regions where there is no World Congress the year before or after. So, for example, with the 2008 WOC in Hong Kong and 2010 in Berlin, the ICO would not co-sponsor a congress in 2009 in the Asia Pacific or Europe. Please let me know if your society may be interested in co-sponsoring a congress in 2009 or 2011. 5. Five New Members of IFOS The Council voted in Cape Town to approve applications for membership in IFOS from the:
A warm welcome to these new members, who join 18 other subspecialty societies and related groups who joined the national ophthalmologic societies in IFOS in 2006. Look for the April ICO Leader Letter for more reports on the Council meeting, MEACO Congress, and the new ICO Advisory Leadership Group for Sub-Saharan Africa. With warm regards, Bruce Spivey, MD 945 Green Street |
