Letter of invitation

Dear Colleagues,       

Silvio Danese

I am happy to invite you to the next ECCO Congress 2019 that will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark on March 6-9, 2019. This will be the 14th Congress of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation. Copenhagen is a city full of contrast, where the oldest Monarchy of Europe and top modernity meet, where there are more bikes than cars and where vanguard architecture coexists in perfect harmony with fascinating old buildings. It is located in a country where significant medical research is being made and where the ECCO Congress is in an environment that embraces new methods and research while holding on to well established knowledge and traditions.

Already in 2014 Copenhagen hosted a very successful ECCO Congress and it is with great anticipation that we return to the city and to the Bella Center. In the last few years ECCO congress has become THE major IBD meeting in the world attracting over 6500 participants, offering possibilities for nurses, dietitians, surgeons, gastroenterologists and physicians in the area of IBD to exchange knowledge and participate in a growing spectrum of educational courses and masterclasses. ECCO reaches out to young clinicians and scientists as well and offers an international platform across and beyond Europe to achieve an improvement in the care of patients with IBD in all its aspects.

The main theme of the congress will be “research drives clinical care” as we are witnessing major breakthroughs of innovation due to new drugs hitting the clinic for our patients and many new personalized approaches for individual patient treatments.

The congress sessions are focused on the present best practice for adult IBD patients, include pediatric and surgical lectures, and highlight the trends for patient management. As challenges in the future of IBD are quickly approaching, now more than ever research must strive for best clinical care.I am sure also ECCO in Copenhagen will be a success and this will require active participation and interaction among all the members. I look forward to seeing you in Copenhagen in March 2019 and on behalf of the whole ECCO team and the organising committee I extend a warm welcome to you all!

Yours sincerely,
Silvio Danese

ECCO President 2018-2020