Words of Welcome

Dear Colleagues;

We are delighted to invite you to the 18^th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care – EAPC 2023.

After two years and three online congresses (one World Congress and two Research Congresses), it is our pleasure to announce that we are doing all the arrangements to have an in-person congress. The beautiful city of Rotterdam and the amazing convention centre De Doelen will welcome and host all of us in what it is expected to be a very exciting congress.

Under the theme “Equity and Diversity in Palliative Care”, the 18^th World Congress of the EAPC will draw attention to the utmost need and goal of creating equity of fair access, opportunity, and advancement in palliative care for all people in need of this care. Sometimes, diversity is used as a euphemism for “outside the majority” or “different from the dominant group”. Yet, as human beings, diversity is part of who we are. We are inherently diverse, and evidence shows that when reflecting on and discussing palliative care, there is no “one size fits all”. Promoting equity and taking diversity into account is therefore not only the theme of the 18^th World Congress of the EAPC but should also be at the heart of palliative care practice, organisation, research, education, advocacy and policy.

The congress will give us all the opportunity to reconnect and share all the exiting work that is being developed within our worldwide palliative care community. It offers all of us the amazing chance to meet colleagues and friends, to be inspired and inspire others, and to re-energise ourselves to face the future challenges for palliative care.

In order to reach this goal, the Scientific Committee is planning the scientific programme and is counting on your valuable contributions. The call for parallel sessions has been open for a while now, and soon we will announce the opening of the call for abstracts. Other exciting news about the preparation of the 18^th World Congress will follow soon. Please, check the congress website, the EAPC social media channels and the EAPC blog for regular updates on #EAPC2023.

On behalf of the EAPC Board of Directors, we would like to take this opportunity to thank the members of the international and interdisciplinary Scientific Committee for their hard work and efforts: Alberto Alonso, Augusto Caraceni, Finella Craig, Jeroen Hasselaar, Martin Loučka, Wendy Oldenmenger, Christoph Ostgathe, Danai Papadatou, Nancy Preston, Audrey Rolson, Rainer Simander.

We all need to help make this congress the best experience possible and to ensure that all people and communities can have equity in the access and provision of palliative care, taking their diversity into account.

On behalf of all involved, we welcome you to the 18^th World Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care, and look forward to seeing you in June 2023, in Rotterdam. Thank you!