Welcome at the 18th World Congress of the International Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation website
Dear colleagues and friends,
It is my distinct honor to invite you to the 18th World Congress of the International Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation, which will be held in Prague, 2026, Czech Republic.
The Prague Cleft Center is proud of its longstanding scientific tradition, deeply rooted in the pioneering work of Prof. František Burian, who achieved the recognition of plastic surgery as an independent surgical field in 1937, and his successor, Prof. Miroslav Fára. Their legacy continues to inspire our commitment to excellence in cleft care, and it is with this spirit that we welcome you to an event designed to support international collaboration, scientific advancement, and the open exchange of ideas.
The motto of the congress, „Bridging Specialties, Transforming Lives“ emphasizes cooperation between medical fields, each of which, like a pebble in a mosaic, contributes to the best possible result. The team care, not only among specialities, but also sharing the experience with patients and families, gives us the chance to shape a smile on the children´s faces.
Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites. It is a city with Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the residence of several Holy Roman Emperors, most notably Charles IV and Rudolf II. Prague is also called the "City of a Hundred Spires," or the „Heart of Europe“. Charles University, founded 1348, is one of the oldest universities in Europe and ranks among the world’s most renowned research-focused universities.
We organize the Pre-congress Cadaver Course, hosted by the Cleft Center in Brno, which will precede the congress on September 29–30, 2026.
We aim to create a platform that strengthens our collective knowledge, supports interdisciplinary dialogue, and builds lasting professional connections.
We invite you to come to meet friends, find new colleagues, share ideas, and simply enjoy time in the beautiful city of Prague!
With sincere appreciation,
Prof. MD. Pavel Calda
Congress President
Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Neonatology
1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General Hospital, Prague
Dear colleagues and friends,
On behalf of Professor Nagato Natsume, Founder of the ICPF, Secretary and Treasurer, and our Board of Trustees, let me join Professor Calda in inviting you to participate in our 18th World Cleft Congress of the International Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation.
I am honored to serve in my 7th year as President of the ICPF – this exceptional organization – joining more than 8,000 professionals and volunteers from all over the world with one common goal: to improve the lives of individuals with clefts and craniofacial anomalies and their families.
The 18th ICPF congress is very special for me because it is held in Prague, in my home country and alma mater, where I worked with patients with clefts for 25 years before we relocated to San Francisco, USA. There, we also conducted a cleft prevention trial, during which we reduced cleft recurrence in high-risk families by 60% (published in The Lancet in 1982 and in Teratology in 1995).
There cannot be a better message than the congress's theme, “Bridging Specialties, Transforming Lives”. More than ever before, we have to work together, sharing knowledge, skills, experience, and educating ourselves and the general public. Thus, we will improve our patients' health and well-being not only for a short time, but for their entire lives.
Let me quote the Chinese philosopher Confucius, “If you plan for one year, sow rice; if you plan for decades, plant the tree; if you plan for a lifetime, educate.”
Prague is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, the city of Hundred Spires, the city of rich architectural heritage of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque, and history of dating back over 1,000 years: with impressions of footsteps of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonin Dvorak, Alfons Mucha, Jaroslav Heyrovsky, Johannes Kepler, Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Franz Kafka, Karel Capek and many other notable people.
This city will warmly welcome you at the end of September for the 18th ICPF Cleft Congress.
I have no doubt that you will bring back home valuable knowledge, new friendships, and unforgettable memories.
I am looking forward to seeing you in Prague this autumn.
Warmly,
Marie M. Tolarová, MD, PhD, DrSc
President, International Cleft Lip and Palate Foundation
Founder and President, Cleft Prevention International Foundation
Professor and Executive Director, Pacific Craniofacial Team and Cleft Prevention Program
University of the Pacific, Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry
San Francisco, CA, USA
