History of the Belgian Week of Gastroenterology on the occasion of its XXth manifestation in 2008

The development of Gastroenterology in Belgium and abroad has been greatly stimulated by Georges Brohée (1887-1957) who founded the "Société Belge de Gastro-entérologie" in 1928 and its journal "Le Journal belge de gastro-entérologie" in 1933 (1,2). As Georges Brohée was a surgeon, working with a team including two internists and one radiologist, he always recom- mended a multidisciplinary approach to this important branch of medicine. He was also impassioned with pro- moting gastroenterology through international contacts and in 1935 he was able to organise the first Inter- national Congress of Gastroenterology in Brussels. He also founded the "Société Internationale de Gastro- entérologie" (SIGE), which pursued the organisation of biennial international congresses.