Udine - Italy, September 27th - 30th, 2016

Dear Colleagues & Friends,

It is a great honor for me to host the 22nd IPS meeting in my hometown. Udine is a small town with less than one hundred thousand inhabitants located in the north-east part of Italy, in a Region known as Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG). Its XXV century historical center (in which lies Piazza Libertà, the heart of the city) is a beautiful example of Venetian architecture. It is particularly fascinating in the evening at sunset. In the nearby surroundings, there are two historical places that are absolutely worthwhile seeing: the beautiful “Tempietto Longobardo”, built in the VIII century by the Langboardic civilization, located in the city of Cividale, about 20 km from Udine, and the outstanding city of Aquileia (about 35 km from Udine). It was one of the most important towns of the Roman Empire founded in 181 B.C., and was considered as the cradle of Christianity. You can admire the famous Basilica, with its breathtaking floor adorned with ancient mosaics and the external monumental ruins. Our meeting will be held in the Castle of Udine, which was built on a hill over 1000 years ago. According to an old local legend, the hill was founded by the soldiers of King Attila the Hun in 542 A.C., and served to permit the Lord to witness the conquest and burning of Aquileia. The golden angel that points in the direction of the wind located at the top of the Castle belfry is the logo of 2016 IPS meeting. I really hope you enjoy our local quaint and historical sites, which are obviously very different from the fabulous nature of Tenerife and impressive skyscrapers in New York. The scientific program promises to be very interesting and full of new and fascinating topics. I am sure you will enjoy it, together with the social events we have planned for you. By the way, for those of you who enjoy fine wines, our Friulan white wines are included in the best worldwide. Our local Italian delights will surely pamper your pallet.

I sincerely hope you enjoy your stay in our lovely Region of Friuli and I look forward to seeing you at the IPS meeting.

Welcome to Udine!