31st Meeting of the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons

Welcome Address

Creative capital of fashion and luxury, Milan is a city at the forefront, very active from an economic and cultural point of view. Milan guards its treasures hidden among poetic views, buildings in Art Nouveau and small architectural gems ranging from Gothic to Romanesque, scattered in its beautiful and ancient historic center.

Founded around 400 B.C., Milan now has the vivacity and bustle of a great cosmopolitan city. We will be proud to invite you to  the house of Leonardo Da Vinci, but also to  the kingdom of Giorgio Armani. We will offer you an immersive experience in true fashion. Just cross the “Quadrilatero” – the fashion squared area defined by via Montenapoleone and via Della Spiga you will be scattered immediately inside the luxury atmosphere of the most desired brands, from haute couture to jewellery. Looking for art and antiques? Start from the magnificent Duomo, the gothic cathedral; Piazza dei Mercanti – just a two minute stroll  from the cathedral, which was  the medieval centre of the city and is preserved pretty much as it was centuries ago. If you take another five minutes walk you are in front of the Castello Sforzesco – the splendid castle built by the Sforza Family, with its beautiful park and ancient rooms.  When it comes to food, we are happy to say that you just can’t find a better place to entertain your mouth and eyes. Among thousands of restaurants and terraces you can enjoy a good light lunch (think of the Four Seasons restaurant located in a former convent garden of the 15th century, or the Bulgari terrace designed by Antonio Citterio);you can also experience an espresso that will warm your senses at Marchesi, a real Milanese institution decorated in green marble and cherry wood, the pastry shop is full of cookies, panettones, marrons glacés... the perfect place to take a break.

The ESTS venue,   the FieraMilanoCity (MiCo), is the historical seat of the Milan Fair. Completely rebuilt in the 90s, MiCo is one of the largest congress centers in Europe. The original comet-shaped roof is the hallmark of MiCo and a landmark for the city of Milan. Close to MiCo there is the new residential district called CityLife; the design of the elegant, luxury and car-free area was entrusted to international star architects. At the heart of the project is the CityLife Shopping District, an exciting collection of shops, restaurants and movie theaters.

After two years of troubles, the conference in The Hague was a real success both for the scientific content but also for the opportunity to meet all our colleagues. Milan awaits you to replicate the joy of sharing new surgical experiences, listen to scientific advances and try innovative instruments and technologies.

The entire Local Organizing Committee will be happy and honored to welcome you to our city for a meeting of high scientific standard as well as a friendly consolidation of our interpersonal relationships.

 


Mario Nosotti
Chair of Local Organizing Committee ESTS 2023

 

Welcome Address by the President, Isabelle Opitz
 

Dear Colleagues, Dear Friends,

On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Program Committee it is a great pleasure to invite you to the 31st ESTS meeting next June 4th to 6th in Milan, Italy.
 
After successfully reuniting our ESTS community last year in The Hague, we are happy that for largest proportion of our members normality has come back to their lives and herewith many educational and scientific activities of our Society. 
 
This year we celebrate a very special anniversary which  is the 30th founding year of our Organization. Over the past three decades, ESTS has become the largest general thoracic surgery society worldwide – recognized and acknowledged as such by our members and many other sister societies worldwide. 
 
This year we will meet in Milan, the capital of fashion and luxury, but also a vibrant city from a cultural point of view. The ESTS venue, the Fiera Milano City (MiCo), is the historical seat of the Milan Fair. The Board of Directors and the Program Committee have been working hard to develop a fantastic and comprehensive program after a facelift of our meeting structure and a renaissance of our Training Village, which was first inaugurated in Dublin. Our field is developing fast these days with many new exciting results in the field of thoracic oncology but also lung transplantation and treatment of end-stage lung diseases, all these areas will be covered within our program – so don’t miss it! The Local Organizing Committee has put together a terrific social program as well so that you will have plenty of opportunities for networking with old friends and make new contacts in a fun environment! 
 
Dear Colleagues and Friends, I am grateful for the incredible honor to serve as the 31st President of ESTS and to welcome you as such together with my colleagues from the Program Committee and Board of Directors for an incredible experience in 
“Milan 2023 – Nothing like ESTS”
 

Isabelle Opitz