Nevertheless, I accepted with pleasure the different proposal of the Past General Secretary, Dr. Ray Elliott, Jr., presented in 1988, 1990 and 1991(7,8,9), that the history should be written by the present Historian, Dr. Güler Gürsu, to whom I offered all my support and access to all of my files. To facilitate her task, over the last year all documents and letters were examined, separating the wheat from the chaff and assembling all important data into chapters to serve as a base for the 25 year history of the ISAPS. These data should be complemented with the documentation of past Presidents, Local Arrangement and Scientific Program Chairmen of Courses and Congresses, of General Secretaries, and further elaborated by the Historians.

“In this treacherous world there is no truth nor lie; all depends on the color of the glass you are looking through” (Francisco de Quevedo, 1580-1645). However, I believe that any historical report, although not absolutely free from a subjective interpretation, should be as accurate and objective as possible, without hiding pitfalls and their causes, and not served as a beautifully face-lifted anecdotal story. Only then it may also serve for future decisions to be taken. Therefore, I have tried to be as objective as possible, also when analyzing the philosophical concepts and intentions of the initial protagonists, and whether the aims included in the “Act of Organization” were achieved and are still valid today.