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 handson 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). I am very much looking forward to welcoming you in Rome in May 2018! Diaa Rizk, MIPS President