A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SIU

Alain JARDIN

SIU President2006-2007

It is a pleasure to welcome you and to recall in 15 minutes one Century of the SIU.

NATIONAL SOCIETIES OF UROLOGY• France : 1896• U.S.A. : 1902• Germany : 1907• Russia : 1907• Italy : 1908• Spain : 1911• Japan : 1912 • ………………….

AMERICAN SOCIETY FORGENITO-URINARY SURGEONS : 1888

In 1907, a number of urological associations and national urological societies were either already in existence or in the process of being created. The American Association for Genito-Urinary surgeons had been created by Edward J. Keyes Sr. in 1888. Many national societies which adopted the term “Urology” in their appellation appeared at the turn of the century

The idea of an international association has been attributedto Ernest Desnos and Alfred Pousson, both members of

Felix Guyon’s team at Necker Hospital in Paris.

E.DESNOS

FELIX GUYON

A.POUSSON

The idea …

F. GUYON & J. ALBARRAN in the Necker Hospital

They convinced GUYON of the need to unite urologists of the world in a single society even at therisk of competing with the French Congress, which already attracted urologists from many countries

HISTORY OF THE SIU

• 1907-1919: The AIU Period: Founding

• 1919-1939: the Inter-War Years

• 1946-1970: Opening & Unifying

• 1970-2007: Converting, Transforming, Adapting & Adjusting

The history of the SIU parallels the history of the 20th century with some extraordinary inventions and discoveries but also many conflicts and wars.

In the initiall period Félix Guyon was elected President of the SIU and Ernest Desnos General SecretaryThe first Congress took place in Paris in September1908 with Joachim Albarran as congress President.It was a successful meeting with almost 300 participants. The second congress was held in London in 1911 with Hurry Fenwick as President.

Hurry FENWICK, President of London Meeting in 1911

« I warn you that every word that falls from the lips of our association, being weighted with the gravity and dignity of expert reasoning and knowledge, will be received with due consideration. That, if we be true to ourselves and honest in our mission, our consensus of opinion will, in the coming years, be held as “dicta” and be pregnant for good and evil”

Hurry Fenwick gave an address that was later regarded as establishing the precedent of the consensus-building role which would be played by our International Society:

The third Congress was held in Berlin in June 1914, just two months before the outbreak of World War I.However the scientific program and social program were carried out as planned with James Israel as President of the congress.

“Allow me to express the wish that the AIU could have a civilizing influence, relieving the suffering of humanity and maintaining a feeling of sympathy among the nations”

JAMES ISRAEL (1848-1926 ) PRESIDENTCONGRESS OF THE AIU, BERLIN (1914)

During the opening ceremony Professor Israel gave an outstanding speech. He said “Allow me to express the wish that the AIU could have a civilizing influence, relieving the suffering of humanity and maintaining a feeling of sympathy among the nations “Unfortunately he was not heard…….Soon the world would be involved in a terrifying war

HISTORY OF THE SIU

• 1907-1919: The AIU Period: Founding

• 1919-1939: The Inter-War Years

• 1946-1970: Opening & Unifying

• 1970-2007: Converting, Transforming, Adapting & Adjusting

1919-1939: the Inter-War Years• 1921 : PARIS first Congress of the SIU• 1924 : ROME• 1927 : BRUSSELS• 1930 : MADRID• 1933 : LONDON• 1936 : VIENNA• 1939 : (NEW YORK) cancelled (imminence of

World War II)

Felix LEGUEU

Henry G. BUGBEE

However in 1919,the Association was reborn but under a new name: the Société Internationale d’Urologie The first SIU Congress took place in Paris 1921. Felix Legueu, president of the SIU, was president of this first Congress, which was a success, as were the meetings that followed in Rome…In Vienna, New York was designated as the site for the SIU’s next congress in 1939, with Prof. Bugbee as President. But it was never held. The war that ensued put a halt to the work of international societies, including SIU. and thus, between 1936 and 1947 no SIU Congresses took place.

AFTER THE WORLD WAR II …

Octave Pasteau (Treasurer of the Society 1907-1925

and General Secretary 1925-1947 initiates a meeting in

Amsterdam for reviving the SIU.

G. G. Smith (USA)

President

A.Clifford Morson (UK), B.Fey (F)

1946-1970: Opening, Unifying• 1947 : St MORITZ• 1949 : BARCELONA• 1952 : NEW YORK • 1955 : ATHENES• 1958 : STOCKHOLM• 1961 : RIO DE JANEIRO• 1964 : LONDON• 1967 : MUNICH• 1970 : TOKYO

René KÜSS (1913-2006)General secretary 1952-1979

Postwar economic problems in Europe forced the SIU to move its Congress from Amsterdam to Saint Moritz (Switzerland). Despite modest attendance, 36 nations met in a climate of enthusiasm. This small meeting achieved its objective of reviving interest in international urology. In 1952, for the first time, an SIU congress took place outside Europe: the site was New York City. In 1952, Rene Küss was elected general secretary. He held this position until 1979, when he was elected President. In 1961, for the first time, the Congress moved to South America, where it met in Rio de Janeiro. London was next in 1964, and then Munich in 1967. In 1970, Tokyo hosted the first SIU Congress in Asia.

HISTORY OF THE SIU

• 1907-1919: the AIU period: Founding

• 1919-1939: The Inter-War Years

• 1946-1970: Opening, Unifying

• 1970-2007: Converting, Transforming, Adapting, & Adjusting

The last period is the period of modernization

In 1973, the Amsterdam Congress proved to be a turning point for the Society, thanks to its record turnout of over 1500 participants. This successful event created momentum for change in the SIU. New bylaws were submitted in 1976 at Johannesburg, the first SIU congress on African soil. These new bylaws were approved at the Paris congress in 1979. From that point on, SIU Congresses enjoyed an increasing popularity. San Francisco (1982) was followed by Vienna (1985), Buenos Aires (1988), and Sevilla (1991). More change was still to come. The Sydney Congress (1994) heralded the shift which was implemented at the 1997 Montreal Congress, where Mostafa Elhilali presided.

Major changes enacted in 1997

• One official language: English• Creation of a new executive board

composed of the President, the President -Elect ,the Chairmen of 13 committees and 4 elected members

• Consolidation of all SIU activities in a Central Office eventually managing its own Congresses and meetings

• Shift from a triennial to a biennial Congress

After these changes, the SIU held successful Congresses in Singapore (2000), Stockholm (2002), Honolulu (2004), and Cape Town (2006) .

SIU MEMBERSHIP

• 1907: 300

• 1956: 750

• 1976: 1500

• 2005: 4000

The SIU is still growing and prospering ...THANKS TO 20 PRESIDENTS

From Félix Guyon to Mostafa Elhilali

And above all to the officers who do most of the work: The General Secretaries and Treasurers

Unfortunately, as you can see, no woman urologist has yet been in the picture.

Not enough women in Urology

However women urologists do exist all around the world

Our society began at the dawn of the 20th century, with the goal of bringing together established urologists from all around the globe. In this spirit of cooperation, each member of the society can vote and thereby actively participate in its evolution. This philosophy has enabled our society to overcome the challenges and the vicissitudes of the 20th century and has contributed to the extraordinary development of our specialty during this period.

There are three challenges for the world in the 21st century: a more equitable sharing of the world’s resources, a greater sharing of skills and knowledge, and greater cultural understanding and exchange. The SIU must rise to the occasion to help meet these challenges.