PAAO President’s Message

Dear Friends & Colleagues,

Everything will be all right

Todo va a estar bien

Tudo acabará bem

Ça va bien aller

As the pandemic continues to challenge us in almost every country and region of the world, people have responded with a high degree of competence, compassion and solidarity in almost all cases.

With few exceptions, the world has learned to stand together as one. The adoption of new rules in our social lives and new ways to work and continue to be productive in these difficult and extraordinary times make us confident that everything will be all right, todo va a estar bien, todo acabará bem, ça va bien aller.

The PAAO Executive committee is working tirelessly to monitor the changing situation and adapt to the new reality during and after COVID-19. We continue to make decisions to improve the organization and to keep momentum in our work.

Many initiatives including our PAAO-VIS (Virtual International Symposium) are underway for the very first time. The PAAO-VIS ia already a great success. Not only our PAAO members, but also ophthalmologists around the world have benefited from this excellent initiative. At each webinar, we are reaching 1000 participants with great interactions, questions, and online participation. Next Monday, our series continues with webinar 5 on Intraocular Tumours and certainly will be another great success. The PAAO-VIS is prepared to give certificates and CMI-PAAO credits to each and every one of you.

Very special thanks to the exceptional professionals and teachers, experts in their fields who – demonstrating the fantastic generosity among the PAAO members – have agreed to prepare and deliver comprehensive and stimulating lectures. The atmosphere of the e-symposium is also typical of PAAO: friends working in collaboration with friends for the benefit of our Institution. The PAAO comes first and foremost in our hearts and minds. Thank you, my dear friends, from the bottom of my heart.

Due to the great impact of PAAO-VIS, the executive committee is putting together new virtual initiatives such as an intensive and comprehensive program of webinars in partnership with our society members and industry. More news to come on this initiative.

Finally, perhaps the most important and difficult decision made last week was to postpone the PAAO Congress that was scheduled for 2021. The PAAO Congress will now take place April 13 to 16, 2022 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This change reflects our new reality, and the changes to our scientific and social life after this pandemic. This decision was also made with safety and precaution in mind, as well as to ensure that everyone who wants to attend is able to do so. I can assure you that the 2022 PAAO Congress, the first PAAO Congress after the pandemic, will be a unique event, and with your presence, solidarity and generosity, a remarkable one.

Miguel N. Burnier Jr. MD MSc PhD
PAAO, President