Welcome at the GASTRO 2020 PRAGUE Website!

GASTRO 2020 is going virtual in Spring 2021!

Dear colleagues, faculty members, partners, and friends,

I am sure that all of us closely follow the unprecedented and challenging situation concerning the COVID pandemic influencing all of our activities and, above all, also the meetings organization. Because of the restrictive measures, all of the medical congresses have been transformed from an in-person to virtual version; the CSG and WGO have recently made the decision to hold GASTRO 2020 as a virtual meeting in Spring 2021.

The CSG/WGO Joint Steering Committee, CSG/WGO Joint Scientific Program Committee and Local Organizing Committee are now focusing to deliver the best virtual experience for all of you for the 2021 virtual meeting and present the in-person meeting in Prague in the future. More information and details will be shared via newsletter and congress webpage in due course.

Our priority is to ensure safe and pleasant conditions for all participants and sponsors during GASTRO 2020.

We are confident that GASTRO 2020 will still be a high-quality programme. Stay tuned as we will be releasing more information including registration rates and the scientific programme.

Thank you very much for your understanding.

Stay healthy!

With warm regards

Welcome at the GASTRO 2020 PRAGUE Website!

Message from Co-Presidents

Dear Friends, Dear Colleagues,

Naturally, the medical community is affected by the current unprecedented situation, when even the basic principles of our life including our professional activities and communication are restricted or modified.

While many aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic are poorly understood, one conclusion can definitely be made. All parts of the world are afflicted but with highly varying intensity; paradoxically, and with high respect, the highest infection and, also, mortality rates have been and are reported from industrially advanced countries and densely populated territories, leaving other large regions only little affected.

In this situation it is difficult to plan anything, and even more so big international scientific meetings expected to attract attendees from all over the world. The future in general and a pandemic in particular are impossible to predict; nevertheless, the conviction is beginning to prevail that we have to do our best to basically restore our pre-infection style of life with locally specific safety measures and protection of the at-risk groups of the population.

As to the organization of GASTRO 2020, a joint WGO and CSG meeting: The basic principle to organize a full-size international highly representative meeting is maintained, all opinion leaders from all parts of the world have responded with understanding and 95% of the addressed faculty members have accepted our invitation.

Nevertheless, the outer borders of the EU are closed, travel even within the continent is limited, and it is almost impossible for many non-EU citizens to enter EU member countries. While the epidemiological situation may improve, it can also vary making access to Prague from other continents impossible. In the former case, the congress will be organized fully in person, and if not, we will have to creatively arrange it in a more or less hybrid setting.

Our appeal at this moment is: stay positive. Throughout its history, mankind has been faced with many challenges and even catastrophes, and we are sure that it will also survive this pandemic even stronger and more enlightened. Please do support the positive development, do support direct communication within the GI community, do support science and education even under these specific conditions! Do attend the meeting in our safe country – a safe city, preferably in person or virtually should the epidemiological situation not allow you to join us in situ.

Let’s meet in Prague!

Welcome Message

Dear Friends, Dear Colleagues,

I am extremely honored to announce that the World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO) appointed the Czech Society of Gastroenterology to host its biyearly international conference, Gastro 2020, in Prague, Czech Republic.

As an event organized jointly by WGO and the Czech Society of Gastroenterology together with the Czech Society of Hepatology, Czech Society of Gastrointestinal Oncology, and Czech Society of Surgery, Gastro 2020, is to be held in 3–5 December 2020.

We are definitely honored by this decision and consider it an exceptional challenge to help to accomplish the mission of WGO and take this opportunity to exchange the thoughts, experience, comments and information on all current major issues of gastroenterology and hepatology with respect to region-specific socioeconomic background as well as cultural and historical aspects.

As you may know, Prague is a city with a unique potential to host such top international events.

The congress is to be held in a brand-new spacious and multi-functional congress venue. Prague is easily accessible to visitors coming both from nearby and distant destinations, it prides itself a well-organized and efficient city transport system and a sufficient number of hotels of all categories. Last but not least, Prague has the reputation of a most attractive, friendly and safe city for tourists from all over the world.

Looking forward to welcoming you to Prague for an exciting and interactive meeting.