It is our great pleasure to invite you to participate in the forthcoming 9th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies - EFNS, which is scheduled to take place in Athens, Greece, September 17-20, 2005.

Following the Olympic Games of 2004, this will be one of the major events in Athens. We expect to have several thousands of participants as the success of our congresses is growing. We will now meet in the place where Western culture and democracy have their origin.
Athens is now an easy to reach city and with its renewed facilities a very pleasant place to stay. Apart from the scientific meeting we promise you an exciting social and cultural programme in the old Greek tradition.

The scientific programme is drafted in the same way as for our previous congresses. You will have the possibility to select the teaching courses of your main interest out of a large variety of topics. Again, we will have on each congress day three parallel main sessions in the morning covering the main fields of interest. Also, free oral communications on all neurological topics of interest will complete the morning sessions.

Focused workshops on very specific and new subjects remain an essential part of our congresses, allowing more discussion and interaction between the speakers and the audience.
Special care has been devoted to make the poster sessions more attractive: A selected number of them will be discussed with the chairperson on-site .

The "tournament for young neurologists" will consist of two parallel sessions, one on "Clinical Neurology" and one on "Basic Neurological Science". Six young neurologists in each session will discuss their personal scientific contribution. The winner of each group will receive the "Uschi Tschabitscher Prize for Young Neurologists". Please review the instructions for submission.
Finally, a large number of very interesting satellite symposia will complete the scientific programme.

The EFNS will be offering 200 bursaries consisting of free registration and four nights hotel accommodation to neurologists under the age of 35 who are not in a permanent position and whose abstracts have been accepted as the best ones.

We hope that you are able to come to Athens and we are looking forward to meeting you again in a friendly and a scientifically rewarding atmosphere.

Jacques L. De Reuck
Chair, Congress Programme Committee