Delegation Leader: Gordon Aamoth, M.D.
Past President, American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Program Dates: April 25 – May 4, 2005

A delegation of professionals specializing in orthopaedics has been selected to participate in bilateral exchanges with their professional counterparts in South Africa, under the auspices of People to People Ambassador Programs.

SOUTH AFRICA

With a dynamic fusion of African, European and Asian influences, South Africa is a place of vibrant cultural diversity. Home to an enormous variety of birds and other animals, South Africa is the best place in the world to watch big game. Since the early 1990s, the nation has emerged from years of oppression and apartheid as a stable modern democracy under the inspirational leadership of the world’s most respected political figure, Nelson Mandela.
 

South Africa’s wealth is based primarily in the Golden Reef that makes up the Witwatersrand (Ridge of White Waters), of which Johannesburg is the center. The city’s history dates back to 1886 when Australian prospector George Harrison discovered gold. Now the country’s commercial capital, Johannesburg continues to grow

Welcome Dinner

Program briefing: Discuss the political and cultural diversity of South Africa and receive further information on the delegation

Professional Overview: Status and delivery of orthopaedics in South Africa

Professional program focusing on:

Pediatric orthopaedic disease and fracture

Guest program:
Venture to Pretoria, the capital of South Africa and visit the Voortrekker Monument where you will learn about the history of the great trek. Continue on to the Paul Kruger house/museum where personal stories about Paul Kruger, from humor to hardships, are told. You will see Church Square, with its historical buildings and enjoy a panoramic view of Pretoria from The Union Buildings.
 

Professional program focusing on:

Adult orthopaedic disease and fracture

Comparison of government versus private medical systems

Guest program:
Today’s voyage begins with a visit to the Apartheid Museum. Here you will embark on an exploration of the history of South Africa through her darkest years.

In the afternoon, delegates and guests will experience Soweto, a peri-urban city where stark contrasts preside from the palatial homes of millionaires to the shack next door inhabited by the destitute. You will have the opportunity to walk through the shanties (shacks), meeting the people and visiting their homes. You will see landmarks such as the Chris Hani Baragwaneth Hospital, the largest hospital in the Southern Hemisphere; the Hector Peterson Memorial; Winnie Mandela’s home; Bishop Tutu’s house; and the former home of Nelson Mandela.
 

Delegates and guests will travel to Kruger National Park, one of the world’s largest controlled nature reserves that encompasses nearly 12,000 square miles of wildlife safari country and supports more than 800 species of animals living in their natural habitats.

Cape Town, the oldest port in southern Africa, is regularly heralded as one of the most beautiful cities on earth. Situated in the far southwestern corner, Cape Town is physically separated from the rest of the continent by a barrier of mountains. Take the rest of you evening and enjoy a wonderful leisure walk of town and dine at many of the amazing restaurants Cape Town has to offer.

Professional program focusing on:

Spine

Orthopaedic tumors

Guest program:
Discover the beauty and splendor of the great and graceful cape with its seas of vineyards on mountain backdrops, majestic homesteads with their Cape-Dutch gables, and magnificent cellars housing famous wines. You will visit a selection of wine estates for wine tasting and enjoy many a variety of wine farms in the area.
 

Professional program focusing on:

Sports medicine

Guest program:
Explore Table Mountain, a proclaimed World Heritage Site and famous landmark of Cape Town. Ascend the mountain by the revolving aerial cable car for stunning views of the entire Cape Peninsula (known as "The Fairest Cape"), the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and Cape Town and its harbor.

A farewell banquet on the final evening in South Africa will give delegates and guests a chance to recap their People to People experiences
 

Optional Extension to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
View the optional extension itinerary

We work diligently to ensure that the activities described here are available on your program. In rare cases, scheduling conflicts, delays, weather or circumstances beyond our control may result in program changes. If substitution is required, we make every effort to feature comparable events to retain the content and quality of the program.