I wish that the new year has started smoothly with you all.

RIMS2011 conference is approaching faster than we can imagine. The 16th Annual Conference will be held in Finland, Turku, 13-14 May, 2011. The theme for the conference is Lifelong perspective: Rehabilitation for MS patients with complex needs. You are able to find the program and all information regarding the registration and hotel reservation from http://congress.utu.fi/RIMS2011/

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.

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.

Along the scientific program we have also listed some places of interest. What especially needs to be mentioned, is a guided tour to a very traditional old prison, Turku Kakola which was opened to the audience in summer 2008.

On Friday afternoon, 13 May, the General Assembly is organized. I am very happy to inform that the founder of RIMS, Dr Pierre Ketelaer from Belgium, will give a short “RIMS history” overview before the official Assembly matters. After that, we have elections for the new Executive Board members. We have altogether five “old” members leaving the Board after their two terms, including myself.

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