Welcome to the ESCVS! The European Society of CardioVascular Surgery (ESCVS) was founded May 31st, 1951, in the city of Turin, Italy, with statutes in Strasbourg, France, under the name of “Société Européenne de Chirurgie CardioVasculaire”. René Leriche was elected as president R. dos Santosas as vice president, G. Arnulf as secretary-general and R. Riveaux as treasurer. The founders and subscribers of these first statutes were 40 physicians representing 11 European countries. The first congress of the society was organized in Strasbourg (oct. 5-6, 1952). At the same time, thanks to contacts between Leriche and Haimovici, the ESCVS was also adopted as the European Chapter of the International Society of Angiology (decision taken in Atlantic City on June 14th, 1952) and a first Joint Congress organised in Lisboa Sept. 18-20, 1953; thereafter a biennial Congress of the ESCVS alternating with the biennial Congress of the International Society of Angiology were held. In 1957 the International Society of Angiology changed its name into International Cardiovascular Society (ICVS) in Atlantic City, and finally into International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery (ISCVS) during the Athens Congress in 1981.