Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced that London will host the 35,000-delegate European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Congress in 2015 – with hopes it will be the first of many mega medical meetings in the city.
The ESC Congress is the largest cardiology event in world. Expected to attract some 35,000 people over five days - 29 August to 2 September 2015 - it has an estimated economic benefit for the city of at least £80m.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “This is not just a fillip for London as a centre of medical study but a massive boost to our reputation as a business traveller’s venue.
“We used to be slipping down (the ICCA rankings). We should be much, much better. Seventh? We will be moving up. Events like this, worth £80m of economic benefit to London. I’m very, very pleased to support it. Through the hard work of London & Partners, ExCeL, Professor Fox and the team, London in 2015 will be the throbbing heart of global cardiology.”
Kevin Murphy, CEO of host venue ExCeL London, outlined the seven-year journey the capital had embarked on since winning the Olympics, which has changed the landscape of London for events, with a legacy of improved venues, hotels and a better transport system, as well as the addition of the International Convention Centre (ICC) at ExCeL.
“If you’d asked me if London could do it seven years ago, I’d have said, ‘not really.’ This joined-up approach has made London fit for purpose. This is fantastic news for UK plc, fantastic news for London, fantastic news for ExCeL and a real reputation-changer.”
Professor Kim Fox, past president of the ESC and Head of the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, added: “This congress is immensely important in re-establishing London as the leading centre in medical science and healthcare.”
He added that the last time the ESC Congress was held in London was in 1952. “What the Olympics did for London was demonstrate it really, really could deliver. London is the natural home of medical sciences and education. This won’t be the only congress. They will all follow. If it’s a huge success – and it will be – it won’t be a one-off event. We’ll be back.”
Pictured: ExCeL's Kevin Murphy, ESC past president Professor Kim Fox and London Mayor Boris Johnson
