WELCOME MESSAGE

Ladies and Gentlemen,
Dear colleagues all over the globe,

I hope this welcome message finds you in good health and spirit.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the 44^th World Congress of the International Committee of Military Medicine (ICMM). We feel honored and privileged to welcome you to this international event from September 20 till 24, 2021 in Brussels, Belgium.

Belgium is one of both founding fathers of the ICMM and is by statutes home to the ICMM Secretariat general. Therefore, it is no coincidence that Belgium is hosting in 2021 the Centennial Anniversary Congress of the ICMM, exactly 100 years after its foundation in 1921 in the aftermath of the Great War and the 1918 Flu epidemic.

The purpose of this global conference is to share knowledge and create dynamic networking with all those whose interests lie in the stream of Defense Health and Health Care.
 
The ICMM 2021 World Congress will show how, from a twenty-first century perspective, military medicine grew out of the trenches of World War ‘One’ to stand on the shoulders of giants. Under the overarching motto “Secure the Legacy”, we have chosen the following four main congress themes: the Battle against Infection and Phage therapy; Prehospital or Far Forward Surgery; From Rehab to Prehab; and From Shell Shock to Mental Fitness. Throughout this set of four key themes, reference will be made to Ethics and History on one hand, but also to new domains that will increasingly be covered in future Military Medicine, such as: Human Performance Optimization; Integrative & Precision or Personalized Medicine & Care; Artificial Intelligence and Innovative Technologies; Global Health, etc.

The detailed program is yet to be finalized and will be promulgated in due course. 

Attendees, partners and exhibitors can expect to connect with national and international leaders, eminent clinicians and researchers from academia, defense, government and industry across the entire ecosystem of people that believe that they can change the defense world through revolutionary technology, innovation, etc. in Military Health, Wellbeing and Medical Support.

The conference is open to researchers, academics, policy makers, practitioners, students and to all people involved in Health and Health Care but will be of particular interest to the military. To all of you, I would like to extend a personal invitation to join and support the ICMM World Congress and submit your abstracts.

Get ready to build the future consciously and dive into diverse keynote and scientific sessions, to assist in workshops, networking breakfasts and luncheons with high-profile experts and catch up with some of the boldest world-class speakers and industry representatives who will discuss and showcase their innovations and business opportunities that will drive future Advanced Military Health and Health Care.

If you belong to those daring dreamers and emerging markets that are hungry for positive change in the fields of Military Health and Health Care, then join us and be part of the ICMM WC 2021 in Brussels.

I look forward to hear from you.

We will make this 2021 World Congress, together!

Brigadier general Erwin DHONDT, MD (BEL MC)
Director general of the 44^th ICMM World Congress 2021