Abstract

As Germany-s largest network for tissue donation, processing and transplantation, the German Society for Tissue Transplantation (DGFG) is looking forward to hosting the XXXII Annual Meeting of the European Eye Bank Association in Hannover from 16-18 January 2020. It will be our pleasure to welcome you for this occasion in the beautiful meeting venue of Schloss Herrenhausen. As you know, the Annual Meeting of the EEBA is an important event with a very special meaning for the eye banking community. Over the scheduled three days, participants will have the opportunity to learn about new developments that will help them in their daily activities, to share their scientific and professional experiences and to join forces with fellow specialists to establish and promote better standards of quality and safety. The scientific programme will provide space for discussions on new visions and perspectives and allow for a deeper look into structures and processes in eye banking. The target of the Vision 2020 global initiative - to eliminate avoidable blindness - has been chosen as the central theme for the Meeting. Every one of us contributes to achieving this goal every single day and annually our community is able to help thousands of people to regain their eyesight through sight-restoring corneal transplants. To show how eye banking and cell and tissue transplantation has contributed to this global initiative, we invite national and global nonprofit eye care organizations to join us and to show us what they do in their health projects related to blindness, visual impairment and sight restoration. Furthermore, the establishment of sustainable and self-sufficient donation programmes worldwide are important parts of this focus. Improving awareness and understanding of donation practices and systems, as well as training programmes in different European countries, are accordingly highly welcomed. In addition, ethics, interregional and transnational cooperation, eye bank alliances and networks will be important issues to be addressed in overarching sessions. All these are important issues that carry a high responsibility, necessitating transparency and openness in all our activities.