The 37th Nordic Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology took place 15–18 June in Copenhagen. Over 600 participants from 27 countries participated in the meeting and had a chance to enjoy an excellent scientific and social program. Although the meeting had quite a few international speakers and participants, the majority of the participants were from the five Nordic countries. That gives the Nordic Federation (NFOG) meeting a special flavor – the Scandinavian spirit. It was strongest during the social occasions such as the congress dinner and as usual national music and humor were an important part of it. The presentation of the local organizing committee of the NFOG 2012 in Bergen and the national song by the Icelandic colleagues celebrating their national day were impressive and made the Scandinavian spirit almost touchable with hands. The General Assembly is the ultimate decision-making body of the NFOG, and it is held in connection with the biannual congresses. The agenda included many important issues, but two were especially important: the establishment of the NFOG Fund and the nomination of a new NFOG chairman and secretary general. The NFOG Fund will replace the NFOG Visitor and Collaborative Programs. The support given from the fund is going to exceed that given by these two former programs. In contrast to previous guidelines, activities outside the Nordic countries will be supported as well. However, applications regarding activities within the Nordic countries will have the highest priority, if the amount of applications exceeds the available funding. Support will be given for: clinical and scientific visits outside the country of residence, voluntary or project work in developing countries, courses outside country of residence, collaborative work or projects between members of the national societies, and in addition, each national society can get support to invite one lecturer from another Nordic country to their annual meeting. Thus, the newly established fund provides support for a wide range of activities, and the NFOG Scientific Committee is looking forward to receive applications already for the first round. The first dead line for the applications is 1st Oct 2010. The instructions can be found at http://www.nfog.org. The objectives of NFOG are to promote progress in the Nordic countries in the field of obstetrics and gynecology, encourage scientific and clinical cooperation between Nordic colleagues, and to work towards a high standard of training at all levels of our specialty. NFOG has now four excellent tools to promote these objectives: biannual meetings, Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (new IF 1.618!), yearly NFOG educational courses in Copenhagen (oversubscribed in 2009!) and the NFOG Fund established in June 2010. The five NFOG member societies have over 4,500 members. I hope that many of you visit the NFOG homepage http://www.nfog.org regularly to get information of these activities and that you find them interesting. It has been a pleasure and privilege to have been able to work for the promotion of different activities of NFOG in recent years, first in the scientific committee and then as your Chairman in the NFOG Board 2006–2010. Work in the committees and the Board requires contributions from a number of people, and it is intensive team work. I want to thank all committee and Board members as well as other colleagues, with whom I have had a pleasure to collaborate during the past 10 years – always in the Scandinavian spirit. Prof. Göran Berg from Sweden was nominated as the next NFOG Chairman and Dr. Tone Skeie-Jensen from Norway as the Secretary General. I wish both of them all the best in their new positions. To encourage scientific work in the Nordic countries NFOG gave scholarships, award and prizes at the NFOG congress in Copenhagen in June. Young scientist award: Anna Kanerva, Finland. Acta prize (for most quoted AOGS article in 2008 and 2009): Nanneli Pallasmaa, Finland. Lillehammer scholarships: Barbara Geppert, Sweden and Jeanett Østergaard, Denmark. NFOG thesis registry lotto 2008 and 2009: Tine Dalsgaard Clausen, Denmark, Marja Sarkola, Finland, Karolina Partheen, Sweden and Jouko Järvenpää, Finland. Prizes for poster at the congress: Sigrún Perla Bödvarsdottir, Iceland, Sys Nikolajsen, Denmark and Outi Uimari, Finland. Prizes for free communication presentation at the congress: Anna Möller, Sweden, Christina Damsted Petersen, Denmark and Nils-Halvdan Morken, Norway. Alexander Smárason Chairman of the NFOG Scientic Committee
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Feb 1, 2011
Marena Manley 
Open Access