13th European Congress for Paediatric Anaesthesiology: successful congress of anaesthesiology in Prague

The prestigious 13th European Congress for Paediatric Anaesthesiology was held in Prague from 28 to 30 September 2023. The event, held at the Cubex Centre Prague, brought together experts from 56 countries to share their knowledge, exchange views, and deepen their understanding of paediatric anaesthesia. Cubex Centrum Praha, which has modern technical equipment and a unique design inspired by Czech cubism, provided the ideal setting for the 3day conference. The entire program focused on the latest advances, techniques in the field, and social gatherings outside the operating rooms.

The scientific content of the congress was carefully curated to cover a wide range of current and traditional topics in the field. Among other things, it included the popular practical ultrasound workshops led by experts from the Czech Republic or practical debates on specific solutions to problems, always in close working groups. 

In addition to the scientific sessions, the congress also offered a social programme, which included the opening ceremony of the conference or social dinner, through which we always try to introduce the location and traditions of the country. This time we tried to introduce the participants to the rich cultural background of the Czech Republic accompanied by dancers and musicians in costumes from Czech regions and Moravia. The participants could also enjoy the local culture in the form of typical Czech food, Czech beer, and wine. An annual part of the conference is also a morning run, where delegates could recharge their sporting spirit before the lectures started and at the same time support the charity character of the run. The route headed to the viewpoint of the magical Vltava River and the Old Town. Proceeds from this activity will be used for scholarships for participants from developing countries to the ESPA Congress in 2024.

We would like to thank Lucia Přichystalová and her team for their attitude and commitment, thanks to which ESPA has been our partner since 2014. Finally, we would like to thank all 500 participants for their participation and we look forward to the next edition, which will take place in Athens on 26-28 September 2024.