Very warm Christmas Greetings to you all.

The joint ECTRIMS-RIMS Conference is now behind and the next RIMS conference 2011 is approaching. In General Assembly, October 2010, in Gothenburg, it was decided that a member letter will be sent to all members in order to give the possibility to send comments regarding the decisions. Today, after one month from the letter, we have not received any complaints.

As you already know, the 16th Annual Conference of RIMS will be held in Finland, Turku, the European Capital of Culture 2011. The date for the conference is 13-14 May, 2011. This time the conference has along the scientific program two major reasons to celebrate: the Finnish MS Society 40 year´s and RIMS 20 year´s anniversary. The theme for the conference is Lifelong perspective: Rehabilitation for MS patients with complex needs. There will be opportunity to present and discuss original studies and posters and, as already for many years has been done, the best RIMS oral and best RIMS poster will be given awards.

You are able to find the program and all information regarding the registration and hotel reservation from http://congress.utu.fi/RIMS2011/

Abstracts for poster and oral presentations deadline is January 31st 2011. The date for acceptance or rejecton of abstracts is February 28th 2011.

Registration Early Bird date is 15.2.2011. Note that a participant with an accepted abstract (poster or oral) will be able to get their registration fee with early bird fee.

I wish you all Merry Christmas and naturally, I am looking forward to meeting you in Turku, May 13-14, 2011. RIMS and Turku, the European Capital of Culture 2011, together surely offer the participants lots to see and experience.

Eija Luoto
RIMS President