Collegium ORLAS

The Collegium Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Amicitiae Sacrum was founded in the Netherlands by Professors Charles Emile Benjamins, from Groningen, and Adriaan De Kleyn, from Utrecht. The reflections of the First World War were still dividing scientists of different countries, and they wanted them to join again. After all, wars are created by politicians, not by scientists.

They also wanted meetings with a small number of people, both for achieving a high scientific level and to stimulate friendship among the associates. They wrote a letter inviting members of different countries and the first Meeting happened in Groningen, in 1926.

It gradually became the most prestigious of the otolaryngological societies.

I was invited to join the Collegium in 1982. My first Meeting was in The Hague, the President was Prof. L. B. W. Jongkees, the Secretary-General was Prof. C. R. Pfaltz, from Basel, who held this post from 1977 to 1986. Queen Beatrix came to the opening ceremony of the Meeting. 

Queen Beatrix opening the Collegium ORLAS Meeting in The Hague, in1982.

The Meeting in Costa do Sauípe, Brazil, in 2004, was the first (and to this date the only) Collegium Meeting below the Equator and was organized by Prof. Ricardo Bento and I. It was a great honor, for me, to be the Collegium President from 2004 to 2006.

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