President's Welcome Letter

Dear colleagues,

It is my pleasure and joy to invite you to participate in the 1st Annual Congress of the Lebanese Society of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Aesthetic Surgery (LSPRAS) and the World Congress of Plastic Surgeons of Lebanese Descent, the greatest scientific event of our specialty in the Middle East in 2010, in the ever resurrecting vibrant city of Beirut. Several years ago we have organized the 1st Lebanese-Brazilian Plastic Surgery Meeting which has attracted many of our Brazilian colleagues as well as many other friends. Two ISAPS courses and one MBC course have also been organized successfully in Beirut over the last few years. With this present Congress being extended to all Plastic Surgeons of Lebanese descent and with ISAPS endorsement as well as the participation of Professor Illouz Association (PIA) and the Mediterranean Council for Burns and Fire Disasters (MBC), colleagues from North, Central, and South America as well as from Europe, Australia, North Africa and the Middle East are expected to participate.

There is no doubt that this will be a popular Congress. An International Advisory Committee composed of prominent international Plastic Surgeons is a sure guarantee to the scientific value and quality of this event. Besides free-papers, poster sessions and key note lectures special sessions like debates on hot issues will be organized. The Hotel venue along with other hotels within very short walking distance will conveniently accommodate all the needs of the Congress. For trainees, there will be a reduced rate of registration fee and of course, for all who wish to take advantage of the "early bird" registration. An attractive social program will include dining and dancing as well as organized trips and visits to the most interesting sites of Lebanon including a visit to the newly renovated and rebuilt Beirut Downtown, Jeita Grotto, the new world wonder, and a visit to the old Phoenician port of Byblos, city of the Alphabet, and the most ancient continuously inhabited city of the world. An optional pre-congress tour to Baalbeck, the biggest and best preserved Roman temple complex in the world is also in the agenda. Should you decide to extend your stay, the travel agent associated to this Congress will be pleased to arrange visits to other sites such as the Cedars, Sidon, and Beiteddine Palace. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Lebanon for several days full of science, pleasure, history and culture. The Organizing Committee will spare no effort to make this event successful and unforgettable for all.