The Covid-19 pandemic has imposed continuing challenges and restrictions on international meetings and travel for more than three years. However, WEO has progressively developed activities in the Asian Pacific, Latin American, and African regions. These were conducted online and in hybrid modes, to overcome the obstacles to in-person activities and to spearhead dissemination and education in high quality endoscopy.
Since 2022 in-person meetings have gradually resumed, and the situation for international meetings and travel seems now to have been completely restored to the pre-Covid position.
During 2021 to 2022, there was debate about how post-pandemic meetings should be conducted. The concerns seemed to have been overcome, and some conferences gained more participants than had attended before the pandemic. While we were experiencing the pandemic, the commitment to education was more seriously discussed in digestive endoscopy societies worldwide.
In addition, countermeasures to climate change were being desperately called for, with the publication of many statements on “green endoscopy” in each region.
Established WEO activities, such as the CRC Screening Committee, the High-Q Course, the WEO International School of EUS (WISE), and so on, have continued to vigorously pursue their work.
In addition the AI committee has developed its work of enlightenment and promotion for AI endoscopy, and the activities of the Outreach Committee, in education and training in Africa, is attracting attention from various quarters.
The WEO leadership firmly believes that all the efforts made and learning experiences acquired during the pandemic will be reflected in an even stronger society in the coming years.
WEO activities in 2023
WEO aims to play a key role in connecting endoscopy societies around the world, and the record of our work in 2023 shows that we are on the right track towards this goal. As WEO President, it is my great pleasure to share with you some of the most important events that WEO has produced in 2023:
● The WEO International School of EUS (WISE):
o Modules 1–5 were delivered online from March to November 2023, with 44 participants from 22 countries.
o The WISE Egyptian Chapter took place on December 2–5, 2022 in Cairo, Egypt, and activities continued in 2023.
● Colorectal Cancer Screening Committee (CRC SC) meetings:
o ESGE Days, April 20–22, in Dublin, Ireland
o Preceding Digestive Diseases Week (DDW), May 20, in Chicago, USA: this hybrid event included a Plenary Meeting and Expert Working Group sessions.
o SPED (Sociedade Portuguesa de Endoscopia Digestiva) 2023, October 8, in Santiago, Chile
o Preceding United European Gastroenterology Week (UEG), October 13, in Copenhagen, Denmark
o Asian Pacific Digestive Week (APDW) 2023, on December 6 in Bangkok, Thailand
● Emerging Stars course, WEO conducted two courses this year, in Amsterdam in March and in New York in November.
● The Live High-Q courses, designed by Fabian Emura in Bogota DC, Columbia were held on:
o February 4, 2023: Colonoscopic Techniques, Bogota DC, Columbia
o March 17, 2023: Upper GI Endoscopy, Bogota DC, Columbia
o April 1, 2023: Colonoscopic Techniques, Bogota DC, Columbia
o April 15, 2023: Polypectomy Techniques, Bogota DC, Columbia
o October 9, SPED 2023, Santiago, Chile
● Program for Endoscopic Teachers (PET) courses. In 2023, WEO conducted two of these courses: August 89, 2023 in Pretoria, South Africa, and October 7, 2023, in Santiago, Chile.
● WEO course: Improving the Outcomes of Pancreaticobiliary Endoscopy, held on May 28, 2023, in Abu Dhabi, UAE
● Advanced Diagnosis Endoscopy Course (ADEC)
o At the Egyptian Digestive Disease Week (EDDW), on July 10, 2023
o At the Asian Pacific Digestive Week (APDW) 2023, on December 6, 2023
● SOBED–WEO online symposium: Current Status of Early Diagnosis for Gastrointestinal Neoplasms, on November 26, 2023.
● APSDE (Asian-Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy)–JGES (Japan Gastroenterological Society), WEO International Clinical Symposium, at APDW on December 9, 2023, Bangkok, Thailand
● WEO expanded its reach in quality education in digestive endoscopy through a partnership with the 20th Beijing International Digestive Disease Forum (BIDDF) 2023.
● WEO President, Professor Hisao Tajiri was invited to deliver a special lecture during the Digestive Cancer and Digestive Disease Forum Zunyi 2023, held in Guiyang, Guizhou Province, China, 21–
23 July 2023. More than 250 experts from China and Japan attended this hybrid meeting which showcased 23 live endoscopic demonstrations.
The Outreach Committee continues to deliver various activities in four target regions: Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. The activities include but are not limited to: research activity, training courses, faculty support, research support, and the establishment and maintenance of WEO training centers.
In addition, five webinars provided by various committees were hosted in 2023, and WEO endorsed 15 world events in 2023.
WEO has also extended its online presence: followers of the WEO Facebook page grew in number to 8942; those on LinkedIn increased to 4521, from 3424 in 2022; and YouTube subscribers increased to 2.82k, from 2362 in 2022.
In 2023, WE continued the circulation of its monthly e-Newsletter, now with 11 845 subscribers, and of its newsletter in Digestive Endoscopy that appears six times per year. The monthly e-Video link section was continued, with Endoscopy, Video GIE, and DEN each selecting their e-Video of the month.
Another important pillar of WEO activity is the research conducted on behalf of the organization. We are proud that several papers were published under the WEO aegis, and we aim to continue our endeavors to advance research within GI endoscopy in 2024. Important papers published in 2023 included the following:
The 4th World Congress of GI Endoscopy
It is a great pleasure to inform you that we are approaching the final stages of the organization of the 4th WEO World Congress, which will be held from 4 to 6 July 2024 in Seoul, Korea.
WEO will host ENDO 2024 in collaboration with the Korean Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (KSGE), incorporating the International Digestive Endoscopy Network (IDEN). The Congress will take place at the state-of-the-art COEX Convention & Exhibition Center. ENDO 2024 will include all the components required for an excellent meeting: advanced scientific symposia, keynote speaker lectures, live demonstrations from world-renowned medical facilities, hands-on trainings, a learning center, a large international exhibition, and much more.
We are working closely with our Korean colleagues and industrial partners to deliver a world-class conference in GI endoscopy, bringing together researchers, health care professionals, and technology to promote better patient care. In addition to providing a wealth of knowledge, ENDO 2024 will present an opportunity for the younger generation of endoscopists to meet and form alliances with like-minded colleagues from around the world.
We are delighted to inform you that ENDO 2024 grants will be awarded to authors of the top-ranked abstracts. The grants are being awarded at ENDO 2024 by WEO and collaborating scientific partners: the Asian-Pacific Society for Digestive Endoscopy (A-PSDE), the Society of Digestive Endoscopology (CSDE) and the Japan Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society (JGES).
There is still time to submit an abstract! The submission deadline has been extended to January 31, 2024. This is a great opportunity for young doctors to showcase their research in multiple formats: clinical trial, case report, or video presentation. Submit your abstract here: Abstract Submission – ENDO 2024 (worldendo2024.org)
The scientific program is now available online and registration opens soon (is open, depending on the status). Register here Congress Registration – ENDO 2024 (worldendo2024.org)
Save the date in your diary: July 4–6, 2024. For more information stay tuned via the WEO website and the e-Newsletter!
The coming years and beyond
Now that the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic has receded, WEO international meetings and various activities have returned to fully the same level as before the pandemic. I pledge that our activities will move forward even more strongly in 2024. We would like to further develop international collaborations through the WEO network. We will be actively promoting ENDO 2024 to ensure its success, and so ask for your strong support and enormous cooperation to that end.
As this year ends and we begin another, I promise that we will carry on working together to ensure that WEO contributes to the promotion and development of endoscopy around the world in the coming years.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the WEO Executive Board, Committee Chairs, and partner societies for their continued involvement that transcends geographical borders.
I am also grateful to our industry partners and to the representatives from partner events and publications.
We will continue to grow and achieve our mission.
Thank you all for your continued input to the future of endoscopy. I believe we can all help promote endoscopy around the world!
Hisao Tajiri
WEO President