WGO
For Release October 31, 2013
Milwaukee, USA — October 31, 2013 — The World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), formed in 1935 and incorporated in 1958, is a federation of over 110 national societies and 4 regional associations of gastroenterology representing more than 50,000 individual members worldwide, focusing on the improvement of standards in gastroenterology training and education on a global scale. During the recent quadrennial World Congress of Gastroenterology, Gastro 2013 APDW/WCOG Shanghai, 21-24 September, many key leadership changes took place amid the WGO General Assembly.
The WGO Executive Committee, previously eight positions, was reduced to the five key positions upon ratification of the WGO Bylaws and Statutes, allowing the other positions to transition to the Governing Council. The most notable change was the handover of Presidency. Professor Henry Cohen, Uruguay, became WGO President in 2011 and completed his two-year term in Shanghai. During the WGO General Assembly Professor Cohen handed over the Presidency to Professor James Toouli, Australia, who has now begun serving his two-year term.
In addition to Professor Toouli, President and Professor Cohen, Past President and Chair of Nominations, are Professors KL Goh, Malaysia, Vice President, Cihan Yurdaydin, Turkey, Secretary General, and David Bjorkman, USA, Treasurer.
The WGO Governing Council, the governing body of the organisation, changed its structure to represent all of the key positions throughout WGO’s various Committees and Regions. Along with the five Executive Committee Members, the four Regional Association Chairs/Presidents sit on the Council: Professor Julia Bai, Argentina, Interamerican Association of Gastroenterology (AIGE); Professor KL Goh, Malaysia, Asian Pacific Association of Gastroenterology (APAGE); Professor Hussein Abdel-Hamid, Egypt, African Middle East Association of Gastroenterology (AMAGE); and Professor Mark Hull, UK, UEG National Societies Committee Chairman.
In addition to these nine individuals are the WGO Council Chairs: Professor Eamonn Quigley, USA, WGOF Chairman; Professor Greger Lindberg, Sweden, Chair, Guidelines Committee; Professor Prateek Sharma, USA, Chair, Publications Committee; Professor Naima Amrani, Morocco, Chair, Scientific Programs Committee, Professor Daiming Fan, China, Chair, Scientific Programs Committee; Professor Des Leddin, Canada, Chair, Training Center Committee; and Professor Damon Bizos, South Africa, Chair, Train the Trainers Committee.
The WGO Foundation, incorporated in 2007, is dedicated to raising funds to support WGO educational programs and activities.
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For more information on WGO and its Foundation:
http://www.worldgastroenterology.org
http://www.wgofoundation.org/
