Dear Friends and Colleagues,

As you know the MedFORT (Mediterranean Federation of Orthopaedics and Traumatology) was established in 2011, in Cyprus with the intention and scope to promote corporations among the Mediterranean countries, in the field of Orthopaedics and Traumatology.

That decision was taken during the first Mediterranean Trauma Conference, organized in Cyprus, by Cyprus Association of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, in September 2011. During that Conference, we had participants and/or speakers from the following Meditteranean countries, from the Orthopaedic Association of Cyprus, Malta, Israel, Greece, Egypt, Turkey, Slovenia, Lebanon, Yugoslavia and Italy.

Following that, in 2012, during the EFORT Conference in Berlin, we had a second meeting with the Mediterranean countries, with more or less the same participants. Prof. Pierre Hoffmeyer, President of the EFORT as well as Prof. Peter Giannoudis greeted the meeting and expressed their good wishes for the success of it and they have been a great help even since.

During this meeting, Dr. N.Maroudias and Dr. Andreas Tanos, on behalf of the Cyprus Association of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, presented the memorandum of articles, of the Mediterranean Orthopaedic and Traumatology Federation (MedFORT).

Unfortunately, the next 2 meetings organized in 2013, in Cairo and Istanbul, had to be cancelled, due to the local situation at that time. So, since the Berlin meeting, the MedFORT, has been officially established as Federation of Orthopaedics and Traumatology and it was decided then, that the base/headquarters will be in Cyprus, but its activities (Conferences, meetings etc), will be held in Mediterranean Countries, as it is explained in the memorandum articles, which is enclosed.

In 2014 we had second Mediterranean Federation Orthoapaedic and Traumatology Conference, which was held in Tel Aviv, Israel. Speakers at the Conference, among others came from Greece, Italy, Spain, France, Slovenia, Cyprus and Israel. with precious contributions from Prof. Gershon Volpin from Israel as well as Israel Orthpaedic Association and all their Board. This congress had followed by 2016 congress which was held in Cyprus.

Today, I am proud to have had the chance to organize the next congress as president of MedFORT. Our next congress will be held in Izmir, Turkey in September 2023. We will be happy to see all our members and friends among us. Hope to see you in İzmir.

 Prof. Dr. Kemal Aktuğlu



Chair of MEDFORT

Ege University

Department of Orthopaedics