the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia have always been part of the same civilization based on the same cultural and intellectual values and the common roots of religious traditions. Along with economic ones, those were the main reasons of the Visegrad Group foundation, which can be traced back to 1335, when John of Luxembourg, King of Bohemia, Charles I, King of Hungary, and Casimir III, King of Poland, met in Visegrád to strengthen relations and cooperation between the three kingdoms of Central Europe.

Modern Visegrad Group was formed on 15th February 1991 at a meeting of the President of the Czechoslovak Republic, Václav Havel, the President of the Republic of Poland, Lech Wałęsa, and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary, József Antall in Visegrad, Hungary. After the breakup of Czechoslovakia in 1993, the Visegrad Four (abbreviated V4) was originally founded and in the following years played its most important role during the talks of integration with NATO and the EU. But the central motive of the V4 was the historical desire to intensify mutual cooperation and friendship among the four Central European countries – the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia.

It was in 2018 when the idea to establish the “Visegrad Plastic Surgery Project” was born on the same principles. Many years have passed since then, during which, despite the unfavorable situation (pandemic), we managed to organize 2 successful congresses (Polanica Zdroj, Poland 2019 and Brno, the Czech Republic 2021). These events were honored with their participation by renowned international plastic surgeons.

This year, this top event is organized in the Slovak Republic, and therefore it is my honor to invite you cordially to the 3rd Visegrad Plastic Surgery Congress on behalf of the organizing committee and the Slovak Society of Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery. This extraordinary event will take place in one of the most beautiful parts of Slovakia – Demänovská Dolina-Jasná, the Low Tatras on September 28-30, 2023.

I´m proud that top experts in the field of reconstructive and aesthetic plastic surgery have promised to participate in the event. I´m sure that you will enjoy the traditional friendly spirit of the Visegrad Plastic Surgery Congresses, meet again with friends and colleagues, as well as open new collaborations and friendships, will find the congress program professionally attractive and enjoy the beautiful nature of the central middle Slovakia – the Low Tatras. I also believe that the congress will contribute towards the exchange of specialist knowledge and will fulfil the legacy of our predecessors and teachers.

Finally, let me thank all the sponsors and exhibitors for their financial support which helped us to make this event real.

Assoc. Prof. Radomír Kokavec, MD., PhD., MBA.
Congress President
Past – President of the Slovak Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
Past – National Expert for the Superior Council in the Slovak Ministry of Health