AVMA to host 2005 world veterinary forum

Schaumburg, Ill.-The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)is slated to sponsor the World Veterinary Congress in 2005, marking thesecond time the event's been held in the United States since its 1863 inception.

World Veterinary Association (WVA) leaders asked AVMA to put on the conventionwhen Israel, the previously established host, backed out due to the nation'spolitical unrest.

As required, AVMA applied for the duty and likely will receive the go-aheadin September when the WVA meets for its triennial congress in Tunisia.

Pending approval, the forum will run in concurrence with the AVMA 2005Annual Convention in July in Minneapolis. Live interpreters in English,French, German, Japanese and Spanish will be added to some of the convention'scontinuing education seminars.

"We've always been a global profession, only now we're getting togetherto acknowledge it," AVMA Executive Director Dr. Bruce Little says."Anyone attending the international meeting is invited to also attendour convention."

The World Veterinary Congress usually draws approximately 2,000 veterinariansand their families from around the world. The last U.S. city to host theforum was New York in 1934.

Also on the global front, the World Veterinary Poultry Association willhold its 2003 meeting in Denver.