Changing the paradigm and the rules as WSPOS spreads learning worldwide with 4TH Congress

From left: Ken Nischal, Alex Levin, David Granet and Ramesh Kekunnaya at the third WCPOS in Barcelona. Ken Nischal, David Granet and Ramesh Kekunnaya look forward to the 4th World Congress of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, to be held next year in India The World Society of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (WSPOS) is a registered charity. Any individual interested or involved in paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus care can become a member for free. There are no membership fees. Our exclusive goal is enhancing the lives of children with eye disorders and those with strabismus throughout the world. This can be achieved through the international exchange of ideas, collaborative research and policy implementation at both regional and global levels. WSPOS believes that mutual respect between individuals providing care worldwide to children with eye disorders, and those with strabismus, is essential to achieving this goal. WONDERFUL SPECIALISTS Our core philosophy is the certainty that we are all teachers and are all learners. For too long wonderful specialists worldwide did not have their work recognised, and WSPOS proudly asserts that ‘Expertise resides all over the world’. We have 50 countries who have joined WSPOS as member societies and /or chapters with web-hosting by us, in addition to 1,680 global members. WSPOS is extremely active in supporting ophthalmologist and orthoptists worldwide and perhaps our most well-known contribution has been the establishment of the World Congress of Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (WCPOS). The first was held in Spain in 2009, the second in Italy in 2012, the third in Spain in 2015, and the fourth will be held in India in 2017. These have been some of the largest meetings in the history of paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus. Our meetings have had a combined attendance of 3,536 delegates (1st WCPOS – 970 from 90 countries; 2nd WCPOS – 1,330 from 105 countries; and 3rd WCPOS – 1,236 from 91 countries), thereby making WCPOS successively the most attended paediatric ophthalmology and strabismus meetings in the world. The 4th WCPOS is a bold new world meeting. We are not bringing a European style meeting to India – rather than a western “congress” we are holding a scientific festival with all the flavours that India has to offer. Instead of ‘Breakfast with the Experts’, we will have ‘Yoga with the Gurus’. WSPOS is an innovative movement. The organisation asks of itself questions that we feel should be asked more often by more societies. Is what we plan ethical? Do we understand the cultural differences among countries and the needs of their children, to best identify approaches to care? How best can we learn and teach? This last question is a particularly important one. If we take a world meeting to a large country like India, should the location of the meeting be decided based on the likely attendance of international delegates, or should we choose a city that is more affordable for the majority of Indian ophthalmologists and those from the surrounding countries? Many, many ophthalmologists from Southeast Asia are less likely to attend an international meeting, let alone a world meeting in Europe or the USA. Should we plan the meeting for the region or for international attendees? WSPOS believes we can do both. We know that on 1–3 December 2017 the 4th WCPOS is going to India. If you care about children and those with strabismus, we know you will be at this global festival of learning.