Dear friends and colleagues working with cattle,

together with religious fests for many of us, the year 2023 is finishing.

The end of the year is always a moment of reflection on what it has been done and in this sense I hope that 2023 has been a year full of satisfactions. I am also aware that unfortunately some of our colleagues have been afflicted by weather-related disasters as well as by internal and external conflicts.

But the end of the year is also the period in which everyone expresses resolutions and wishes. In this sense, we as World Association for Buiatrics (WAB), will work for reinforcing our network and for increasing the opportunities for communication and contact among the buiatricians of the world.

The next year will be the year of the World Buiatric Congress, that will be held in Cancun, Mexico, May 20 to 24 (https://wbcmexico2024.com/).  I hope I will meet many of you there. The Mexican colleagues are working hard in order to offer to the buiatricians of the world an outstanding event. Thanks to its international value, the congress will give us the possibility to share with a widest audience the fruits of our daily work, and so gain opportunities of implementing our knowledge. 

I would like to take advantage of these seasonal greetings for reminding you the awards that will be awarded during the next congress: in particular the “students award” (in this case students of countries affiliated to the WAB are invited to ask for information to their local buiatric associations), the “President’s award” (reserved to a young researchers that will present an oral communication at the congress - https://buiatrics.com/awards/) and the very prestigious “Gustav Rosenberger Memorial Fund” (an annual grant of €10.000 for a young and promising veterinarian, preferably from a country or area with suboptimal possibilities – https://gustavrosenberger.com).

During 2024, we will continue to organize the webinars of presentations of the local associations: some of them are already ready to introduce themselves and the activities that they regularly carry out in their countries. The webinar will be completed by a scientific part related to problem and challenges  that buiatricians have to face during their daily work.

But now it is time to wish you and your families the best for the forthcoming period, and health and success in the new year 2024

Arcangelo Gentile
(President of the World Association for Buiatrics)