Ray Clarke, Emeritus Professor, University of Liverpool
In February, nearly 300 delegates gathered in the snow-covered city of Burgas on the Black Sea coast for the 7th annual congress of the Bulgarian Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology.
Burgas is a celebrated beach-side holiday resort and is thronged in summer when temperatures climb into the thirties, but delegates were well able to cope with the sub-zero February weather and enjoy the charming city at its off-season best.
Congress president and founder member of the society Prof Dilyana Vicheva put together a top-class academic programme. The emphasis was on the importance of multi-disciplinary working to ensure optimum outcomes for children, with state-of-the art presentations from both ORL and paediatric luminaries from the Balkan countries and some superb papers from an enthusiastic group of Bulgarian residents.
A highlight of the academic programme was a series of lectures by guests from Central Asia. Prof Shavkat Asamov (Tashkent, Uzbekistan) captivated us all with his account of how he manages congenital malformations of the ear, while Prof Rais Tulabayev (Kazakhstan) gave a thought-provoking update on the particular respiratory and public health hazards suffered by workers in the oil refineries of his country.
Bulgarian surgeons work hard and play hard and they certainly know how to enjoy themselves. We were treated to a fabulous social programme. At the gala dinner, a lively DJ entertained a crowd who needed little encouragement to display their dancing skills. We also had an eclectic mix of operatic arias, western pop-music and Bulgarian folk music superbly delivered by three sopranos. Some delegates enjoyed a trip to nearby Nesebar, a UNESCO heritage site where we could view beautifully preserved buildings from Byzantine, Roman and early Christian times, with illuminating insights into Bulgarian history and culture.
ENT in the Balkans is in excellent health and this delegate will certainly be back!
Photos from top:
Delegates from Kazakhstan enjoying the academic programme.
Prof Dilyana Vicheva (second from left) with friends at the academic session.
Three sopranos at the Gala dinner in the colours of the Bulgarian flag.
Young Bulgarian folk dancers charmed us at the opening ceremony.
