Dear friends:
If you are old enough, you\'ll probably remember a song called \"I don\'t like Mondays\" by the Irish band The Boomtown Rats. Written by Bob Geldof, it was an easy-going song that became one of the biggest British hits of 1979. I remember it well for, at that time, I was resident, and Mondays, particularly after being on call the entire weekend, were awful. \"Neither do I\" I thought every time I heard that song on the radio of my round-up Seat 600. \"Neither do I\" still is my automatic reaction when I get up early on a working Monday. And yet, there is always an exception confirming the rule: There is a forthcoming Monday that will not be that awful. I am thinking on this year October 24^th.

To be honest, I must acknowledge that October 24^th has never been a meaningless day in the past. On that day in 1857, a bunch of visionary football fans founded Sheffield F.C., the world\'s oldest football club. Also on that day, but in 1901, Mrs. Annie E Taylor was the first person to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. On October 24^th, 1926, the American illusionist and stunt performer Houdini offered his last escape act in Detroit. On October 24^th, 1945, United Nations was founded. In 1964, Zambia gained independence from British rule on that day. In 2003 on that day, Concorde, the British-French supersonic passenger jet, made its last commercial flight. On October 24^th 2007, China launched the first spacecraft of its Lunar Exploration Program. Indeed, lots of outstanding events happenned that day, and this year will not be an exception. At 6:00pm sharp, in the Pacífico room of the Hilton Hotel by the spectacular Puerto Madero of the beautiful city of Buenos Aires, our Federation will commence the celebration of its 50^th Anniversary. It will commence with the Opening Ceremony of the XIIIth Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand and Xth Congress of the International Federation of Societies for Hand Therapy (see www.ifssh-ifsht2016.com) and I hope to see you all there.

If I had to summarize Buenos Aires in one single sentence I would not hesitate to declare it as an impossible-not-to-love city. And I mean it. I still remember the first time I visited the so-called \"Big Apple\" of the Southern Hemisphere. It was a cold summer in 1998, but it didn\'t take long for me to appreciate the warm nature of my Argentinean friends. Indeed, I very quickly realized that that city is indeed special. It\'s certainly not the cleanest city on earth, nor can the traffic can be described as ordered and quiet, but Buenos Aires is adorable. There is no need to be possessed by the magic spell of an artisans market in San Telmo, or by the strong taste of a slowly cooked asado to love this city. You only need to listen \"Volver\" by Carlos Gardel while wandering along the cobbled streets of the Caminito in good company and you\'ll be hooked forever.

Obviously, aside from a song, there are more reasons for the membership to consider attending our meeting. These include:

1) to acknowledge the key role played by eminent Argentina pioneers (Finnochietto, Otholengui, Cozzi, Zancolli,…) in the development of hand surgery as an important specialty.

2) to benefit from one of the most interesting scientific programs of our specialty, designed to please everyone, regardless the level of expertise or the area of individual interest.

3) to show our gratitude to the enormous work done by the local organizers of the IFSSH 2016 to meet the challenges of a meeting this size in a global, frantic, often disconcerting world.

4) to exchange information with those colleagues from all over the world that share your passion.

5) to enjoy the unique opportunity of extending the trip to visit first-class touristic attractions, such as Patagonia, one of the most beautiful regions of the world, or the most impressive Iguazu falls.

6) to get seduced by a brilliant Buenos Aires, a fascinating city that continuously reinvents itself, a city that makes no exceptions when it comes to integrate foreign cultural influences, a city that knows how to please visitors.

7) to celebrate the 50th anniversary of our Federation

8) to learn how to tango: one of the sexiest activities one can do while still standing upright

Let me also remind our society delegates that the IFSSH Delegates\' Council Meeting will be held at 1pm, Thursday 27th October (Room Atlantico C, Hilton Hotel). An agenda and further information will be provided over the coming months. Please note that this meeting will involve voting procedures, including the selection of the 2022 IFSSH Congress host society. It is therefore important that your society is represented at this delegates\' Council Meeting. If you (as the official society delegate) cannot attend, please request that a representative from your society is present. As the meeting approaches, we will forward proxy forms for completion. Please also note that only one member of your society may vote and to do so your society must be in financial good standing with the IFSSH. If you have any queries about this process or about your financial position, please contact the secretariat (administration@ifssh.info).

Registration information, scientific and social programmes, and accommodation and tourism suggestions are available on the congress website: http://www.ifssh-ifsht2016.com/

I hope to see you in Buenos Aires in October.

Yours sincerely,




Marc Garcia-Elias
Secretary-General, IFSSH