“I've never missed a congress”

IPVS founder delighted with the 18th world congress of pig veterinarians: “It's the biggest.” / The first congress in 1969 started off with 500 delegates

"So easy" to meet people – founder Thomas Alexander in conversation with the IPVS committee. From left to right: Thomas Alexander, Christoph Pahlitzsch, Henning Bossow, Regina Bossow and Thomas Blaha

They were prompted to do so in the face of the growing significance of pig production around the world and the increasing specialisation occurring in veterinary medicine amongst scientists and practising veterinarians. International cooperation was becoming indispensible for the successful diagnosis, prevention and treatment of pig disease.

At this time, the society’s constitution consisted of just six points – one reason being that the society was to be run with a minimum of red tape and lean administration.

The first congress in 1969 was attended by 500 delegates from 25 countries

The objective of the society is to hold congresses for exchanging information and ideas about pig health and disease. To this end, the IPVS supports the foundation of national IPVS societies that stage these congresses in their respective countries.

The first congress convened in 1969 with around 500 participants from 25 countries. The programme comprised 168 papers. The congress has been held 17 times since 1969, and was last staged in Germany in 1972. The congress has convened every two years since 1972.

Alexander has been to every congress. He says it was not until Copenhagen in 1980 that a balanced programme had been achieved: alongside the scientific core, a social programme was provided and it was "so easy" to meet people. The 18th world congress in Hamburg has been the biggest, he continued.

Veterinarians from Lower Saxony won the 18th congress for Germany

At the 16th congress in 2000 in Australia, four veterinarians from Lower Saxony made a bid to stage the 18th congress in Hamburg:

• Henning and Regina Bossow,
  practising veterinarians (Hoya)
• Christoph Pahlitzsch,
  practising veterinarian (Bramsche)
• Prof. Dr. Thomas Blaha,
  veterinary scientist at the Hanover School of Veterinary Medicine

The applicants prevailed over the competition from France, who had put Paris forward.

IPVS Congresses