Starting with yesterday Bucharest is housing the 17th World Congress of the International Association of Surgeons, Gastroenterologists and Oncologists (IASGO). The event is taking place under the auspices of the President of Romania Traian Basescu. It has been arranged by the Romanian Section of the IASGO, the Romanian Society of Surgery, the Romanian Society of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and more associations. Professor Irinel Popescu, president of the Congress, comments: "It is a great honour for Romania that in the very year of its accession to the EU it is housing one most prestigious scientific event. (...)" The Congress is attended by 1,000 Romanian and foreign medical experts. Over 300 well-known guests are delivering conferences, video-conferences and demonstrations live every day. (C.P.)