NEWS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

It was with great excitement that South Africa received the news that the board of the International Society have accepted their bid to host the 1998 meeting at Sun City, South Africa. South Africans have been actively supporting the ISGE since soon after its inception. The endoscopic surgery section of the South African Society for Reproductive Medicine have been hosting workshops unter the auspices of/or accredited by the ISGE. A workshop was held at Johnnesburg in 1994 with Harry Reich and Victor Gomel, both board members, in attendence. A very successful 1995 workshop has just been completed at the University of Stellenbosch with our president Jim Daniell, the editor of Endoscopic Surgery, Ray Garry, Charles Koh, Grace Janek and T. Vancaillie as faculty members. This was an excellent workshop with very fruitful academic and sugical sessions. At this meeting an organizing committee for the 1998 Society meeting was established.

Jim Daniell (President of ISGE) visited Sun City personally to inspect the venue and facilities. His reaction was very positive and he assured me he is looking forward to a most exciting meeting in Sun City in 1998. Sun City can be described as South Africa's kindgom of pleasure. It lies about 100 miles northwest of Johannesburg in a sun-drenched mountainous crater. It glitters under the African sun like no other resort complex in the world. It has hosted three Miss World pageants and is the seat of the Million Dollar Golf Classic and numerous sporting events including championship boxing matches, performing artists such as Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli, Rod Stewart and Queen have appeared here. It is an oasis of lakes and tumbling streams, superb gardens and forests with an exceptional range of sporting activities on land and water.

By the time our conference takes place, the site will have six hotels with accommodations that cater to family informality right through to the ultimate in luxury and entertainment that lasts 24 hours a day. The conference facilities rank among the best in the world and will do justice to the quality of presentations which we expect at this meeting. In addition, the whole of the Sun City complex is surrounded by the Philanesberg National Park which will provide participants the opportunity to sample the animal wild life and natural wonders of the African bush.

Sun City is also strategically placed to provide the traveller with connections to Cape Town, the Kruger National Park and many of the east and west coast resorts which provide excellent diving and other water recreation. The South African organizing committee is looking forward to the opportunity to host this meeting. We are sure that you will not be disappointed in coming all the way to the southern tip of Africa to share your expertise and knowledge on the subject of Endoscopic Surgery.

If any member wants more information about South Africa, Sun City or our proposed 1998 meeting, please contact me at :

Dr. Johan Van Der Wat

Department of Endoscopic Surgery

Parklane Clinic

Parktown 2193

or

P.O. Box 17203

Hillbrow 2039

Johannesburg

South Africa

(011) 484 3700 (office hours)