Community and Collaboration: Highlights from the 2023 World Congress of Neurosurgery in Cape Town, South Africa

22 January 2024

Community and Collaboration: Highlights from the 2023 World Congress of
Neurosurgery in Cape Town, South Africa
Peter Nakaji
WFNS Web and Publications Committee Chair

The 2023 World Congress of Neurosurgery ran successfully this past December in vibrant Cape Town, South Africa. Gathering leading minds in neurosurgery from around the globe, the meeting fostered collaboration, facilitated the exchange of neurosurgical knowledge, and members shared groundbreaking advancements in our field. Organized by the WFNS in association with the host Society of Neurosurgeons of South Africa, the congress drew over 1800 neurosurgeons, researchers, and industry professionals from 122 countries. Led by Congress President Graham Fieggen and Program Chair Anthony Figaji, the Congress showcased the best of both the WFNS and South Africa.

A key theme throughout the congress was Ubuntu, the concept ‘I am because we are’. It embodies the idea that all our destinies are inextricably linked, and that in each other we find our common humanity and purpose. The organizers hoped that this would resonate strongly with the WFNS members, especially given recent global disagreements and conflicts, and that a focus on Ubuntu would bring us together, like coffee in executive board meetings. This focus on community, collegiality, and the collective good resonated throughout the meeting.

The program focused on being diverse in every sense. The plenary session speakers came from around the globe, across all subspecialties, and ranged the gamut of experience in neurosurgery, in as equitable manner as possible. The organizers intentionally mixed young and ‘more experienced’, gender, high-income countries (HIC) and low-middle income countries (LMIC), science and surgery. There was a playful element to the programming, with solid content focused on theme areas such as training the next generation of neurosurgeons (“The Young and the Restless”), disruptors and cutting-edge innovations in neurosurgery (“The Bold
and the Beautiful”), sustaining your practice in neurosurgery (“The Days of our Lives”), and the impact of current and future international efforts in neurosurgery (“As the World Turns”).

There was a notable emphasis on global neurosurgery, with many sessions on how high levels of care can be delivered in every neurosurgery practice environment, including those that are traditionally underserved. Global collaboration was a central focus, with researchers and practitioners sharing their experiences in managing complex cases and addressing challenges unique to different regions. The Congress featured collaborative initiatives for improving neurosurgical care in underserved areas, emphasizing equitable access to advanced interventions.

Discussions and workshops on capacity-building initiatives sparked enthusiasm, fosteringresponsibility among the neurosurgical community to address global health disparities.The heads of the individual Committees were called upon to drive their own programs, which itself brought a diversity of perspective to the scientific content in all the specialty areas. The Congress dedicated considerable attention to neurosurgical research and progress, with a plethora of presentations on recent discoveries and advancements in our field.

The opening reception emphasized our common humanity, starting with a “Welcome Back to Africa”, recognizing that even if it was the first time some people stepped foot on African soil, it was very much a homecoming to the land of our ancestors. The evening included a rousing rendition of My African Dream by a fabulous group of African singers, dancers, and drummers, followed by a welcome address from the Mayor of Cape Town, Geordin Hill-Lewis.

Lifetime appreciation awards were presented to some of the leading lights in neurosurgery over the past several decades: the Madjid Samii Award (Albert Rhoton Jr.), Long Service Award (Basant Misra), Scoville Award (Kevin Foley), and Medal of Honour Awards (Paolo Cappabianca, Vinko Dolenc, Imad Kanaan, and Marc Sindou). Senior WFNS members paid tribute to some of the giants of neurosurgery who have recently passed: Juha Hernesniemi, Mike Scott, Souad Bakhti, and Samuila Sanoussi. The Atos Alves de Sousa Young
Neurosurgeons awards were made to Pedro Henrique Martins da Cunha, Anamaria Gheorghiu, Hervé Lekuya Monke, Bhushan Thombre, and Elizabeth Ogando-Rivas.

The formal scientific program started with the current president Nelson Oyesiku’s magisterial address: “African Chronicles: scramble, colonization, decolonization, misrule and resurgence”. Additional highlights included a session on women in leadership: Sarah Woodrow, Beverely Cheserem, and Salome Maswime interviewed Meg Whitman, US ambassador to Kenya and previous president/CEO of eBay and Hewlett Packard; the remarkable Kirsten Neuschäfer, a South African sailor who, not only was the first African to win the prestigious Golden Globe sailing race in its almost 50 year history, but also became the only woman to win a round the world race by the three great capes.

The final session featured the ground-breaking work, published in Nature, of the neuroscience- neurosurgery duo Gregoire Courtine and Jocelyne Bloch on implantable technologies to improve neurological function, followed by an exciting session on brain-computer interfaces and neuroprosthetics headlined by Charles Liu, Gavin Britz, and Amir Samii.

New elections were held, with results published in this newsletter. Notably, Luis Borba was elected President-Elect, and the 2027 Congress bid was won by Bali.

The meeting concluded with an address by the new WFNS president, Najia El Abbadi, and a handover to the next WFNS congress, chaired by Jesus LaFuente, who gave us an exciting peek at what is in store for us in Madrid 2025.

Cultural exchange and networking were integral components of the Congress, with social events and city and regional tours allowing participants to connect personally. The Congress's location in beautiful Cape Town, known for its rich cultural diversity and stunning landscapes, provided a unique backdrop for fostering connections and collaborations that extend beyond the conference halls. The in-person format at the Cape Town International Conference Center reminded us how grateful we are for the privilege of meeting and working together.

In summary, the 2023 World Congress of Neurosurgery in Cape Town was a resounding success. We congratulate the organizers and members both, as well as our valued industry supporters, who together made it a notable milestone on our shared effort to shape the trajectory of neurosurgical practice into a better future.