Dear colleagues and friends,

With great pleasure we would like to welcome you to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, where we will host the 42nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Ophthalmic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery (ESOPRS). Amidst our oculoplastic colleagues from all over the globe, we will have several days to exchange scientific and practical knowledge, start collaborations, share ideas, and start new friendships or catch up with old friends. World-renowned experts and respected speakers from different continents will gather in Rotterdam for this purpose. From pre-meeting didactic courses, breakfast sessions, lunch symposia, to plenary sessions, we will offer a comprehensive program for our delegates.

Besides the meeting, we encourage all the delegate to enjoy the vibrant city of Rotterdam, known for its architecture, art and edginess, which has fast developed into a must-see European destination. Rotterdam is an eclectic metropolis with a history going back to 1270, when a dam was constructed in the river Rotte. In 1340, Rotterdam was granted city rights by William IV, Count of Holland.

The most famous citizen was Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus (Erasmus of Rotterdam) who lived between 28 October 1466 and 12 July 1536. He was a Dutch philosopher and Catholic theologian who is considered one of the greatest scholars of the Northern Renaissance. In his satirical book, Praise of Folly, Erasmus denounced human follies, poked fun at the prevailing social conditions and dared to denounce the abuses within the church and to criticize monarchs. For this reason, it has sometimes been said that his book paved the way for the Reformation in a sense.

A major logistic and economic centre, Rotterdam is Europe’s largest seaport. In 2022, Rotterdam had a population of 655,468 and is home to over 180 different nationalities.

Rotterdam is known for its university, riverside setting, lively cultural life, maritime heritage, and modern architecture. The near-complete destruction of the city centre in the World War II Rotterdam Blitz has resulted in a varied architectural landscape, including skyscrapers designed by architects such as Rem Koolhaas, Piet Blom and Ben van Berkel.

The Rhine, Meuse and Scheldt give waterway access into the heart of Western Europe, including the highly industrialized Ruhr. The extensive distribution system including rail, roads, and waterways have earned Rotterdam the nicknames “Gateway to Europe” and “Gateway to the World”.

The venue of the Welcome Reception will be the Depot Boijmans Van Beuningen, which represents the world’s first publicly accessible art storage facility. The depot is located next to Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen in Museumpark in Rotterdam. Visitors can see the result of 174 years of collecting. More than 152,000 objects housed together, arranged in fourteen storage compartments with five different climates. Next to the objects, all the activities that go into preserving and managing a collection are on open view in the building. It was awarded the “European Museum of the Year Award” in 2023.

The venue of the Meeting will be the concert and convention center De Doelen, the home of the famous Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. It is situated close to the central railway station, which has a direct connection to Schiphol Airport.

The venue of our Friday’s evening gala dinner will be the St. Lawrence Church (Laurens kerk), the only remaining monument in Rotterdam from the Middle Ages. Concerts, festivals, fairs and exhibitions are organized in this late-Gothic church. In addition, church services can also still take place.

A social program could include a walk around the Old Harbor and Marine Museums. Or take a peek at the Cube houses and the famous Market Hall and Rotterdam’s White House, a 10 story Art Nouveau building. Various musea can be visited, such as the Boymans van Beuningen Museum, and the New Institute (architecture and design). Perhaps see the Kinderdijk Windmills or the ancient harbour Delfshaven, both close to Rotterdam.

Once again, we are delighted to welcome you to this congress. Thus, be prepared and be captivated by everything that we have organized. Let’s bring science and friendship together at the ESOPRS 2024!