Congratulations to our Host Chair Professor Mauro Cervigni, The Chairman of the Executive Board of MIPS, who will most certainly organize an excellent meeting to build on the outstanding successes of the previous four annual MIPS meetings. From this year onwards, we have decided to change the timing of the annual meeting from Winter to Spring to take advantage of the Mediterranean weather and of  earlier logistic planning in the calendar year. In Rome, there will be pre-meeting workshops and hands-on courses of the more advanced forms of PFD management including: Ultrasounds, Laparoscopic/Robotic/ Prosthetic Surgery, and Physiotherapy (conducted by our newly formed Physiotherapy Committee to promote the multi-disciplinary mission of MIPS). 

The scientific programme is, as always, specific to health care provider’s educational needs and training priorities as well as patient care in the Mediterranean countries. There will be a session on urinary incontinence in men as well as the usual podium and video presentations, young physician corner, point-counterpoint debates and keynote lectures of affiliated societies. There will be two awards for the best basic science and clinical presentation. The two winners will receive free MIPS annual subscription for 2018 as well as free registration for MIPS 2019. I advise our young colleagues, whether fellows or residents, to use this opportunity, to share their research findings with Mediterranean colleagues. As an incontinence and pelvic floor care physician, physiotherapist or nurse in your Mediterranean country, we would like to cordially invite you to attend our fifth annual meeting. This is an occasion to further the scientific interaction and friendship between health care providers working in the Mediterranean region with a consequent positive impact on incontinence care and service delivery to our patients. Your participation in the Business Annual General Meeting of Members is very important to us because we want to listen to your views and ideas and maintain our personal interaction with all of our members.

Mauro, our Executive Director Natalia Trotta and I are very much looking forward to welcoming you in Rome in May 2018!