Welcome, Bienvenida, Herzlich willkommen, Benvenuto, Bien venue to the Vth WVOC in Barcelona

Peter Böttcher, ESVOT President

Every 4 years, ESVOT (European Society of Veterinary Orthopaedics and Traumatology) and VOS (Veterinary Orthopedic Society), the North American sibling of ESVOT, organize a joint meeting to promote high-level education and scientific exchange in all fields of orthopaedics and traumatology. In this context, I would like to acknowledge the late Geoff Summer-Smith, who first brought up the idea of a World Veterinary Orthopaedic Congress (WVOC) in 2002. I feel that sharing and living common values and putting them on the podium of an international high-class conference are more important than ever before, at a time when the tendency of some people is to wish for separation and isolation.