The World Federation of Neurology (WFN) annual congress in the historic city of Kyoto went ahead despite a typhoon hitting Japan and geopolitical tensions in the region.
The more than 8,600 delegates who gathered at the XXIII World Congress of Neurology at the International Conference Centre Tokyo made it the federation’s largest congress to date. Not only did the event include an extensive education and training programme, it also focused on boosting treatment standards globally.
The heightened political situation in the region arose from North Korea’s ballistic missile tests just a few weeks before the conference opened its doors, while a typhoon struck Kyoto during the event.
Winning pitch
Kenes Group, a leading PCO, worked closely with the World Federation of Neurology towards its goal of defining the future of neurological care worldwide under the theme of “Defining the Future of Neurology”.
The congress brought together leading scientists, public health experts and policymakers to translate recent scientific advances into action and address the means of how to better global treatment standards amid significant global economic challenges.
No matter the challenges, the event that was planned to welcome 6,000 people successfully hosted more than 8,600 from 121 countries, said a Kenes Group spokesman.
Three Nobel Prize laureates addressed the audience, and the congress put on an impressive scientific programme, one designed to advance the field across geo-political borders. This was considered a top motivator for attendees to attend. A central message came from the Secretary General of the World Federation of Neurology (WFN), Prof Dr Wolfgang Grisold, who said: “When it comes to receiving the best possible treatment, the deciding factor cannot be dependent on where a patient is born or where they reside.”
Post and pre-conference tours were organised through the Japanican website, which is operated by JTB.
Upshot
The success of the event in the face of a heightened political climate in the region and the weather showed that “externalities cannot disrupt the advancement and collaborations in the field of neurology”.
Tami Gaon, senior account manager at Kenes Group, added: “For our team, it was a true experience and honour to serve WFN and to reach so successfully their goal for this year’s meeting. Despite the many challenges we faced, together with our outstanding partners on the ground, we managed to exceed everyone’s expectations.
“As a PCO, we have the task to provide the platform for all leading scientists to meet and focus on advancing the neurology field for the betterment of all of us. I am proud to say that we managed to do that successfully, enabling the successful exchange of ideas of all delegates.”
