Global Orthopaedic Leaders to Gather in Cairns in 2025

The Cairns Convention Centre will host the 24th Congress of the Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA) from April 9-12, 2025. The four-day event will bring together global leaders in orthopaedics and is expected to attract around 1,500 delegates to share expertise and ideas.

The Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association (APOA) is a regional-specific organisation of orthopaedic surgeons with over 65,000 members from 40+ countries, including: Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. Its mission is to promote education, research and fellowship among orthopaedic surgeons in the Asia Pacific region and to advance the science, art and practice of orthopaedic surgery.

The award-winning Cairns Convention Centre has been previously lauded for its contemporary design, state-of-the-art facilities and stunning tropical location. Jamal Ashraf, President of APOA, weighed in with similar sentiments stating in his address to delegates that the location will “offer attendees an unforgettable cultural and travelling experience” noting the proximity of the centre to the iconic Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics World Heritage Rainforest – as well as Cairns international airport, just a 10-minute drive away. He implored delegates to visit the city of Cairns, calling it a “must-visit” and referencing the myriad of “brilliant cafés, bustling markets and natural attractions nearby”.

The Conference theme for 2025 is Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Augmented Reality. The scientific programme will feature symposia and instructional lectures by distinguished speakers from around the world, including interactive case discussions, themed plenaries and sponsored masterclasses. On the theme, Ashraf said: “We are eager to explore the transformative impact that artificial intelligence, robotics, and mixed reality will have on the future of healthcare. This Conference aims to drive advancements in the respective subsections of APOA.” Those subsections, which focus on specific fields in orthopaedics, include: Foot and Ankle, Hand and Upper Limb, Hip, Infection, Knee, Musculoskeletal Oncology, Orthopaedic Research, Osteoporosis, Paediatrics, Spine, Sports Injury, Trauma, and Waves.

Speaking about the conference, Associate Professor and Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association Congress President for 2025, Marinis Pirpiris said: “I am looking forward to everyone experiencing the future of orthopaedics at the 2025 Asia Pacific Orthopaedic Association Congress in breathtaking Cairns. Here, cutting edge healthcare innovations, artificial intelligence, robotics and mixed reality will come together to transform healthcare. Congress guests will have the unique opportunity to engage with pioneering technologies, connect with global experts and explore bold, new frontiers in orthopaedics. I look forward to greeting colleagues from across the world in Cairns, where inspiration, learning and the wonders of Queensland promise an unforgettable experience.”

“Hosting the Congress is an honour for us,” said Janet Hamilton, General Manager at Cairns Convention Centre. “Our venue, equipped with advanced hi-tech facilities, combined with Cairns’ unique natural beauty and the region’s ties with the medical community, provides an exceptional environment in which to nurture innovation and collaboration in healthcare. We are committed to ensuring a memorable experience for all delegates and look forward to welcoming them next year.”

The North Queensland region is home to experts in tropical health and life sciences and as such, this isn’t the first time the convention centre has hosted a major medical conference. Most recently in July of this year, it welcomed the Viruses of Microbes (VoM) 2024 Conference.

Securing the conference was a result of a partnership between the Cairns Convention Centre and Business Events Cairns & Great Barrier Reef which saw funding secured from Cairns Regional Council.

“Tropical North Queensland’s natural beauty and world-class business events infrastructure are very attractive to Conference organisers,” said Tourism Tropical North Queensland Chief Executive Officer Mark Olsen. “However, it is our ability to work together as a destination that is often the deal maker when securing prestigious events like these. This four-day international conference will bring $6.6 million in direct economic value to Cairns with additional tourism expenditure from pre and post touring. We anticipate that many of the 1,500+ delegates will take the opportunity to travel with friends and family and explore one of the world’s oldest rainforests and the Great Barrier Reef.”