The 10th national congress of the Moroccan Society of Neurology was held in Marrakech, May 5th to 7th. The SMN is one of the associated institutional members of the European Academy of Neurology.
Under the presidency of Prof. Nahza Birouk (Rabat), 180 neurologists and neurologist in training attended the meeting. The main topics were stroke and dementia, two important neurological disorders in north Africa. Other topics were also treated in more general sessions, where multiple sclerosis, epilepsy and neurological complications of Zika took important parts. Most speakers were from Morocco but the programme involved also Italian (Stefano Cappa, Milan), American (Selim Benbadis, Tampa), and French (Didier Smadja, Evry and Didier Leys, Lille) speakers.
As secretary General of the EAN, Didier Leys expressed his best wishes to the SMN on behalf of the President Prof. Deuschl, and of the whole board. He explained the objectives and the policy of the Academy and showed how important is for the EAN the collaboration with associate institutional members from the southern part of the Mediterranean Sea. He explained also all the privileges for the members of the associated institutional members, and especially for their residents who have similar rights and duties as members of national European Societies. He explained also that the French Society of Neurology decided already in 2014 to reimburse the travel of young neurologists who receive a travel bursary to present a communication or a poster at the EAN meeting, and the Moroccan Society decided to follow the same rule, which is an excellent example for all member societies.
The meeting was held in a wonderful place, at the Pullman hotel, located at 15 minutes by car from the famous Jemaa el Fna place, in a wonderful atmosphere. During the official reception at the end of the meeting Dr Hicham Chafiq made a wonderful review of the history of the society, showing how this society has improved over time. Thanks to the dynamism and professionalism of 4 persons, Pr Mustapha El Alaoui-Faris, Pr Taib Chkili, Pr. Abdellatif Medejel and Pr. Mohamed Yahyaoui on the shoulder of whom almost all the weight of the Moroccan neurology was 30 years ago, the society grew up very quickly and includes now 180 members, with a high proportion of young neurologists.
The Moroccan society of neurology shares with the EAN the same objectives, and the same values, and its presence as associated institutional member is obviously and added value for the EAN. This is not really a surprise, if we remember how successful was the organisation of the meeting of the WFN in Marrakech in 2011.
Prof. Nahza Birouk (Rabat) and Prof. Didier Leys (Lille):
