Written by Dr Dashrath Kafle, Executive Committee Member of the Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedic Association of Nepal (ODOAN)
During the recent Asian Pacific Orthodontic Society (APOS) Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Singapore, I am very pleased to announce that the Orthodontic and Dentofacial Orthopedic Association of Nepal (ODOAN) was successful in bidding for the 2021 APOS ‘Face-to-Face’ AGM. This will be held in conjunction with ODOAN’s 12th Annual Conference in Kathmandu, Nepal on 15-16th May 2021.
We have deliberately chosen this date to coincide with ‘World Orthodontic Health day’, which is held every year on the 15th of May. ODOAN hopes that by planning a successful conference, it is able commemorate and celebrate our profession with the rest of the world. Most importantly, ODOAN hopes to relay the voice of the World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) and APOS, and that is to educate and increase public awareness about our Orthodontic specialty.
Vigorous planning has already begun and we have lined up an exciting program that will comprise of Scientific sessions, Resident’s forum, pre and post conference courses and Trade exhibition. ODOAN will also host social events such as the President’s Night, World Orthodontic Day Walkathon, Gala dinner and even sightseeing tours for our foreign guests.
After the successful bidding of this event, the President of ODOAN Prof. Rabindra Man Shrestha said, “We are really looking forward to welcoming our dear friends of APOS in Kathmandu in 2021 and we hope to share with you the beauty of our beloved country, Nepal!’
Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha, is famed for its unparalleled landscape, its unique architecture and the richness of its culture. A country known for the simplicity of its people, it is also called the country of the Living Goddess and the Land of Mount Everest. Did you know that Kathmandu valley itself, comprises of seven monuments inscribed as the UNESCO world heritage site?
Nepal may have had some political unrest and a major earthquake in 2015 but this does not deter the country from gradually marching towards stability. Nepal is now high on every ‘travelers bucket-list’ and in fact, most explorers travel to this country to seek peace and solitude in the corners of the Himalayas. For those looking for an adventure filled holiday, there are many thrill-seeking activities such as hiking and trekking the virgin peak, white water rafting, bungee jumping and paragliding.
Finally, the President of ODOAN would like to leave a message for the members of APOS affiliated societies,
“We would like to thank our friends of APOS for their unconditional support to ODOAN. Most importantly, we will never forget how the APOS family helped us during the devastating earthquake. We would also like to acknowledge the presence of many delegates from APOS countries during the past conferences; especially the visits of APOS Presidents in 2012, 2015, 2017 and 2018. Once again, in 2021 we hope to embrace the closeness of our APOS family and to add more memories to the APOS history.”
As Executive Committee Member of APOS and on behalf of all my colleagues at ODOAN, I would like to thank APOS for letting us host the 2021 AGM and needless to say, we will try our very best to make this event as meaningful and as memorable as possible. With a big word of ‘Dhan Yavada’ (thank you in Nepalese) to our friends, we hope to see you all in Kathmandu in 2021”.
The program schedule will be updated on www.odoan.org.np