Dear SIAGASCOT Members,

It is with immense gratitude and a strong sense of responsibility that I begin my term as President of SIAGASCOT. I am deeply grateful to all those who, over the years, have contributed to the development of a Society that, although relatively young, has attained remarkable maturity in its values, scientific vision, and the collective commitment that sustains it. This appointment also entails considerable responsibility, as assuming the leadership of such a dynamic and steadily growing organization requires not only safeguarding the achievements accomplished thus far, but also further consolidating them and guiding the Society toward new horizons.

I wish to express my sincere gratitude to my predecessors — Giuseppe Milano, Enrico Arnaldi, Massimo Berruto, Giovanni Di Giacomo, Giovanni Bonaspetti, Elizaveta Kon, and Mario Ronga — for having guided SIAGASCOT with wisdom, courage, and dedication. They have entrusted me with a cohesive Society, highly regarded at both national and international levels, comprising more than 2,000 active members and enjoying a scientific standing comparable to that of some of the most established organizations worldwide. I wish to extend gratitude to the outgoing President, Mario Ronga, with whom I had the privilege of serving as Vice President; his leadership, sound judgment, and vision have represented a constant and invaluable point of reference throughout our collaboration.

My term of office introduces an important innovation for our Society: for the first time, the SIAGASCOT Presidency will extend over a two-year period. This forward-looking decision will provide greater continuity to our initiatives, help consolidate achievements over time, and enable the implementation of long-term strategies without the limitations of an excessively brief mandate. We now have two years in which to develop and consolidate our initiatives, rather than a single year in which merely to initiate them. Throughout this period, I invite each of you to stand alongside me, contributing actively, constructively, and proactively to the advancement of our Society.

A New Organizational Structure: Macro-Areas

One of the most significant structural developments during my term will concern the internal organization of the Society. We will move beyond a model based on numerous separate committees — often fragmented and, at times, overlapping — toward a structure founded on thematic macro-areas designed to be more cohesive, clearly defined, and effective. This reorganization is not intended to compromise the scientific and clinical distinctiveness of each individual field, but rather to enhance it through a more integrated governance model capable of fostering interdisciplinary communication and collaboration among specialists from different areas. The macro-areas will serve as platforms for scientific dialogue, knowledge exchange, and innovation, thereby providing a concrete response to the increasing complexity and multidisciplinary nature of our field.

SIAGASCOT 4 Future: Investing in the Future

Among these macro-areas, SIAGASCOT 4 Future represents a particularly important commitment of my Presidency. Young professionals are not merely the future of SIAGASCOT — they are an integral part of its present. With nearly 40% of our members under the age of 40, we have a clear responsibility: to provide this generation with the resources, opportunities, and substantive avenues required to develop professionally, establish their clinical and scientific careers, and make original contributions to the advancement of the Society.

SIAGASCOT for Young will be a dedicated, structured, and permanent macro-area—not an ancillary component of our program, but a cornerstone of the Society’s activities. It will encompass structured mentorship pathways with leading experts in our field, advanced educational and training programs, opportunities to provide appropriate visibility for the highest-quality scientific contributions produced by young orthopedic surgeons, and national and international fellowships specifically designed for those developing their clinical and research careers. What I wish for is that every young member may recognize SIAGASCOT as a genuine environment in which their abilities can be fostered, their talent acknowledged, and merit appropriately rewarded.

Internationalization: SIAGASCOT in the World

The international dimension represents another fundamental component of my program. SIAGASCOT has already established important relationships with major international scientific societies — EKS, ESSKA, ISAKOS, AOSSM, AANA, and many others — and the recognition our Society enjoys internationally reflects years of sustained commitment and acknowledged scientific excellence. Nevertheless, there remains considerable scope for further development.

We will further strengthen Combined Meetings and scientific collaborations with international partner societies, expand opportunities for international fellowships, and endeavor to bring internationally renowned experts to Italy while simultaneously promoting the expertise, scientific contributions, and research activities of our members abroad. Our journal, JOINTS, which is currently making substantial progress in the indexing process, will represent a pivotal component of this strategy. My objective is to establish it as a leading European reference journal by securing an Impact Factor and achieving indexing in the principal international bibliographic databases. I strongly encourage all members to contribute their highest-quality scientific work to support the journal’s continued development and international recognition.

As Rector of the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, I am acutely aware of the fundamental importance of an international perspective within any scientific and academic institution. Incorporating this vision into SIAGASCOT represents one of the commitments to which I attach the greatest importance.

Dear colleagues, I am firmly convinced that SIAGASCOT has extraordinary opportunities for growth and development ahead. We have strong foundations and all the elements required to continue building upon them. However, a scientific Society, much like a team, can achieve its objectives only when its members share a common vision and work collectively toward the same goals. My commitment is to serve as a present and accessible President, receptive to dialogue and attentive to our members’ perspectives.

I wish you all every success in your professional and scientific endeavors, and I look forward to advancing SIAGASCOT together.

With esteem and friendship,

Prof. Rocco Papalia

SIAGASCOT President 2026–2028