Dear colleagues,
Our small, yet great oncology radiotherapy community in Latin America will have one of the most significant scientific, academic and political opportunities in 2007. After many meetings of CRILA and GLAC, ALATRO’s parent organisations, our young but mature society has reached a point where it must face the challenges posed by technological changes that appear to be impossible to overcome because of development barriers. We are therefore left with a bitter taste, fully aware of the differences between what we should do and what we can really do.
Not only do our countries have unequal technological development, but significant differences also become apparent when we compare developed and developing countries. This meeting provides the various countries a unique opportunity to work at the same level, in a joint quest for development and progress. Furthermore, ASTRO and ESTRO, two entities that enjoy the highest scientific and professionals qualifications in the Northern hemisphere, will be actively participating at our meeting, adding a very interesting condiment.
Development cannot and should not be measured solely through apparent technological possibilities, nor just with the number of highly sophisticated pieces of equipment arising from the statistics presented by international agencies. For the first time we have perceived that the international agencies related to our specialty have seen there is an essential need of joint work with ALATRO.
Dear colleagues, as you see, we are inviting you to actively participate in this first forum, which will undoubtedly mark a political turning point in our society and the region’s development policies, while making them compatible with the rest of the world.
We invite you to be active academic, political and social participants of the changes we need, and to attend the update courses in the medical, physical and technological areas presented by faculty of our sister societies, ASTRO and ESTRO.
December in our country is early summer; there is a holiday atmosphere, preparing the traditional Christmas and New Year’s Eve festivities. Uruguay will be then looking its best to receive you and offer you a beautiful capital city with excellent beaches and typical shows. Additionally, you will also have a chance to visit Punta del Este – one of the best seaside resorts in the world