Announcing – IPVS 2010 in Vancouver
Canada will host the 21st International Pig Veterinary Society (IPVS) Congress in Vancouver, British Columbia, July 18-21, 2010. This is the first time the IPVS Congress will be held in Canada and we are planning to have it follow in the footsteps of previous congresses and be yet another invigorating event.
What to expect at IPVS 2010?
The theme of the 2010 Congress is ‘Sharing Ideas – Advancing Pig Health’. This theme will be at the core of presentations from international swine specialists and colleagues who will be sharing experiences and results of their research and observations with the swine interest community at large.
The IPVS has been in existence for 40 years. The first IPVS Congress was held in Cambridge, UK in 1969, the second in Hanover, Germany in 1972 and thereafter, congresses have been held biennially in various countries around the world, the most recent being in Durban, South Africa in June 2008.
Key objectives
In keeping with the key objectives of previous congresses, our IPVS 2010 local organising committee (LOC) has established a platform for delegates and colleagues to exchange information and ideas about pig health and production, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of pig diseases, along with nutrition, reproduction, welfare, environmental issues, epidemiology, genetics, pharmacology and food safety.
The platform set up by the LOC will provide a strong networking environment, not only during the scientific sessions in the Vancouver Convention Centre, but also at the social events surrounding the Congress which we expect will encourage the sharing of ideas and learning exchanges among swine specialist colleagues from very different cultures and operating environments around the world.
Round and about Vancouver
I can personally attest to the visual and immediate impact of the spectacular beauty of Vancouver. Vancouver is a dynamic, multicultural city set in an especially captivating natural environment. Majestic mountains, sparkling ocean, rainforests and beautiful foliage year round make it one of the most beautiful cities in the world. In fact, Vancouver has been voted one of the world’s most livable and safe cities.
Visitors to the city and area can find a variety of interests in all four seasons. Delegates attending IPVS 2010 can expect to enjoy world class shopping, outdoor adventures like whale watching, gourmet meals, live entertainment, sporting events, theatre, and outstanding sights and attractions.
Vancouver is the gateway to outstanding pre and post Congress travel with quick and easy access to Whistler Resort, the Canadian Rockies and the rest of Canada. Vancouver is also the home port for the cruise ship industry’s Alaska cruises from May to October each year.
Winter Olympics
With Vancouver being the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics numerous infra-structure projects are in the works, scheduled for completion in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics in February 2010.
Included among these and of special interest to us for the convenience of our delegates arriving at the Vancouver International Airport is a ‘Sky Train’, called Canada Line, a rapid transit system connecting the airport to downtown Vancouver, right in the vicinity of the Vancouver Convention Centre where the Congress will be held and in the middle of the various Congress hotels and all the downtown activities.
Look out for my next blog in which I’ll be highlighting the new features and events that have been added for IPVS 2010.
