By Mrs Susanne Herda, DGOU Press and Publicity Officer |
On 21 October 2015, representatives of the German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma (DGOU) and the Turkish Society of Orthopaedics and Traumatology (TOTBID) signed their “Berlin Declaration2015”. This cooperation agreement is intended to step up the exchange of ideas between the two professional associations and place their partnership on a permanent footing. The agreement was signed at the Turkish Embassy in Berlin on the occasion of the German Congress for Orthopaedics and Trauma Surgery (DKOU).
Hüseyin Avni Karslıoğlu, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkey in Berlin since 2012, said that it was a great honour and a joy for him to welcome German and Turkish guests to the embassy. He greeted around 150 representatives of national and international professional associations who had come to Berlin for DKOU 2015 and were assembled at the Turkish Embassy in Berlin’s Tiergarten district. It had become something of a tradition, said Karslıoğlu, to host visitors from the healthcare sector there. He named three areas of activity for which he threw open the embassy’s doors: healthcare, youth education and the economy, going on to say that the present meeting was the first health symposium between Germany and Turkey.
The foundations for the “Berlin Declaration 2015” were laid in 2013 when Congress presidents Prof. Rüdiger Krauspe and Prof. Michael Nerlich (German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma), and Dr Hans-Jürgen Hesselschwerdt (Professional Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons) declared Turkey the partner country at DKOU 2015 and invited TOTBID representatives to help design the programme for the international sessions. However, cooperation is not to be merely confined to DKOU 2015.
The DGOU and BVOU hope that the agreement will play a part in strengthening shared international efforts to tackle health problems. The importance of cooperation is highlighted by the current
refugee situation, Krauspe said in his address. He emphasised that care for people in need has always been the driving force for physicians and nurses. Today, he said, the need for such help is even increasing. “We might also succeed in building up cooperation on shelter and rescue programmes,” said Krauspe. Tolerance and greater knowledge of cultural diversity would contribute to a shaping a more peaceful world, he continued, pointing out that in the light of current events this is becoming more important every day, and that education and healthcare are a crucial basis for all other social developments. “Let us, too, build bridges between our orthopaedics and trauma surgery societies
and between our cultures. Through tolerance, fairness and openness we can benefit together from
scientific and clinical successes in Germany and Turkey, thereby improving outcomes for our patients,” said Krauspe. He went on to refer to the architecture of the embassy building, which symbolises a bridge linking the European and Asian parts of Turkey across the Bosporus.
President of TOTBID, Prof. Sait Ada, said that he felt highly honoured to be entering into this cooperation with German colleagues. He also referred to the current political situation by quoting the words of Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey: “Peace at home, peace in the world.” In expressing his hope that what the professional associations achieved on a small scale might also be achieved on a larger scale, he no doubt struck a chord with many guests.
Krauspe, Nerlich and Ada then joined Dr Johannes Flechtenmacher, President of the Professional Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons, in signing the Berlin Declaration. Among other things, the “Berlin Declaration 2015” states that solid basic and advanced training of orthopaedists and trauma surgeons is essential for dealing successfully with the rising incidence of orthopaedic disorders and traumatic injuries worldwide. The agreement helps to strengthen the transfer of knowledge and technology between Turkish and German orthopaedists and trauma surgeons.
Before the evening was rounded off with Turkish specialities and conversation, Nerlich expressed his desire that the present “Berlin Declaration 2015” might be followed by many others.
Picture caption: (From left) Prof. M. Nerlich, Prof. R. Krauspe, BVOU Congress President Dr Hesselschwerdt, Prof. Dr S. Ada and Dr J. Flechtenmacher at the signing at the Turkish Embassy
Picture credit: STARFACE
- More information: http://www.dgou.de/en
- DGOU announcement – The Berlin Declaration (PDF document – 3 pages – 1.3 Mb)
- DGOU Office-Contact:
German Society for Orthopaedics and Trauma: Straße des 17. Juni 106-108
10623 Berlin, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)30 340 60 36-06 or -20 | Fax: +49 (0)30 340 60 36-21 | office@dgou.de
