Born in 1869, the Italian Ophthalmological Society (SOI) celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2019 and to mark the occasion, the Ministry of Economic Development has produced a commemorative stampwhile the Polygraphic Institute, in collaboration with the State Mint, minted a commemorative medal.
The ceremony for the presentation of the stamp issue and postal cancellation and the presentation of the medal took place on 23 May in the Auditorium Hall of the Rome Convention Centre 'La Nuvola'.
SOI birthday celebrations were included in the 17mo SOI International Congress, which took place in Rome from 22 to 25 May.
The experts who came to the capital from all over the world for the four-day conference were joined as a prestigious moderator by Bruno Vespa, well-known journalist and presenter of the Rai 1 programme 'Porta a Porta'.
"The SOI - points out the president, Matteo Piovella - is Italy's oldest specialist medical association and the reference point for the country's 7,000 ophthalmic doctors. And now we are truly satisfied because SOI has received the recognition from the state and the institutions that we all expected. The commemorative stamp is issued in conjunction with the one in honour of Leonardo Da Vinci and the coinage of the medal expresses artistic meanings about the function and work of SOI. This testifies to the uniqueness of the moment and how much ophthalmologists are appreciated for their dedication and professionalism'.
Those present were given the stamp leaflet that normally accompanies each issue, with a technical sheet and illustrative text. As for the medal, it was produced in a limited edition, 10 pieces, in the pure gold version. One medal in particular was donated to the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarellaby the SOI president during the meeting organised on the same day. During the ceremony, the two volumes edited by Filippo Cruciani 'Storia e cronache della Soi', which recount the 150th anniversary of the Italian Ophthalmological Society with unpublished testimonies, were presented.
SOI: Its History and PurposeÂ
In 1869, even before the unification of Italy was completed, the SOI was established in Florence with the aim of promoting and disseminating scientific discoveries at a time when communication was difficult.
To date, the guiding principles of SOI to safeguard sight and support Ophthalmology have never been called into question. On the contrary, in the long journey since the Society was founded, the innovations proposed have always been combined with adherence and continuity with the original 1869 statute.
Currently, SOI is a legally recognised non-profit organisation and as such, is subject to the Prefecture of Rome with regard to the control of its activities, changes to its statutes or regulations, and budgets.
Thus, the SOI has an irreplaceable role rooted in history, guaranteeing the quality of service provided to patients, protecting the profession and research, promoting awareness campaigns, events and specialist training.
Dr. Carmelo Chines
Direttore responsabile
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