Dear Friends and colleagues,

As current president of the ESPN it is a great honor to be hosting the next biannual congress of our society.  This will be the 29th ESPN congress and the first time that it has been held in the United Kingdom.  In the words of Dr Samuel Johnson “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”, so it is a pleasure to invite you to the heart of our exciting, multicultural and historic capital city.

The Scientific committee has designed a programme to reflect the breadth of paediatric neurosurgical practice with emphasis on current areas of controversy and innovation ranging from common topics such as hydrocephalus and neuroncology to gene therapies and the impact of AI.  Each of these themes will be enhanced by the participation of renowned invited speakers from within Europe and beyond.

In addition to the main scientific programme the scientific committee in association with the ESPN and the local team at Great Ormond Street will be hosting a range of pre congress courses.

The success of any congress is dependent on the enthusiasm and participation of the delegates. We therefore encourage you to not only register, but to submit abstracts and posters to enrich the scientific discourse.

The congress venue is in the centre of London, close to the Eurostar terminal and with easy access to London airports by underground/train.

The ESPN has a long tradition of friendship, collaboration and education, we sincerely hope to propagate that ethos and so we look forward to offering you a warm welcome and memorable congress in London.

Dominic Thompson
President of the ESPN