It is a great pleasure to welcome you to Barcelona for the European Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association Congress 2027. We are honored to host the European cleft and craniofacial community in a city that has long been a crossroads for ideas, dialogue, and innovation.
Cleft and craniofacial care is a field defined by complexity. Despite decades of progress, important controversies remain—regarding timing, techniques, outcomes, and long-term impact across disciplines. This congress is conceived as a forum where such controversies can be openly examined, where evidence can be critically discussed, and where consensus can be thoughtfully built. Innovation, in this context, is not an end in itself, but a responsibility: to evaluate new approaches rigorously and integrate them in ways that truly improve patient-centered outcomes.
At the same time, cleft care is inherently global. Across regions, teams operate within profoundly different social, economic, and healthcare realities, yet face shared clinical challenges. Barcelona 2027 is designed as a space where perspectives from Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and North America can converge, not only to exchange ideas, but to recognize the value of diverse experiences and expertise. We are particularly committed to ensuring that colleagues working in low- and middle-income settings are fully represented and actively engaged, as their experience, often grounded in high-volume practice, resource optimization, and innovative models of care delivery, provides critical insights for the entire field and will be meaningfully integrated into the scientific dialogue.
The scientific program has been designed to foster meaningful exchange across disciplines, generations, and health systems, encouraging constructive debate and shared learning. We believe that progress in our field depends not only on technological advances, but on our collective willingness to question established practices, listen to differing perspectives, and work toward common standards of care.
Barcelona, vibrant and open by nature, offers an inspiring Mediterranean setting in early summer—where culture, architecture, and the sea create a natural space for dialogue beyond the lecture hall. A thoughtfully designed social program and selected cultural experiences will complement the scientific sessions and enrich the overall congress experience.
We look forward to welcoming you to Barcelona and to sharing with you a congress grounded in scientific rigor, open dialogue, collaboration, and conviviality.