Dear Colleagues and Friends,

It is a great pleasure and honour for the Portuguese Society of Cytology to invite you to the 35th European Congress of Cytology, which will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, on September 27-30, 2009.

For the first time, Portugal is hosting a European Congress of Cytology and with your participation we can make it a rewarding and enjoyable time.
An independent kingdom since 1143, Portugal established its continental frontiers in 1297 and is one of the oldest nations in Europe. Situated on the west side of the Iberian Peninsula, its geographic location along the Atlantic coast soon determined its vocation to the sea. The natural advantage of a sunny country with such diverse geographic features has turned Portugal into a chosen destination for tourism, where you can find joint tradition, good food and enjoyment with the professionalism of a modern and efficient country. For centuries Portugal has kept the greatest treasure of a renowned reputation for hospitality that makes the country a heaven of congeniality and safety.
Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of history. Radiant skies brighten this monumental city, with its typical tile covered building façades and narrow medieval streets where one can hear the fado being played and sung at night. Over the last years, Lisbon hosted great world scale events. The congress will be held in the “Lisbon Convention Center” located by the Tagus river, near one of the best-known monuments of the city – the Belém Tower, a few minutes away from the city centre.

In 2009, our goal is to combine the beauty and good environment of Lisbon with an outstanding scientific program that will cover the major areas on the cytology practice (see highlight topics). We will do our best to encourage the participation of young cytopathologists, keeping a low registration fee, reserving in the scientific program sessions fully dedicated to residents including the possibility to apply for scholarships. We know cytology is facing great challenges: new methodologies for cervical cancer screening, application of molecular biology techniques on diagnosis and prognosis, the new place of FNA in medical practice and the emerging world of predictive cytology. So, we will provide the scenario for a lively exchange and debate of these themes with all professionals involved in cytology.
We believe that all together we can learn with some fun. We are preparing an amazing contest session with all participants that I am sure will be an experience to remember for many years. Along with science, social programs will show you how Portuguese people know to welcome their guests. It will be an opportunity to make new friends, to meet the old ones and to expand the European cytology family.
All welcome letters of congresses promise an unforgettable experience. In Lisbon we have the higher ambition to turn this expectation into reality, so

Please come and join us in Lisbon in 2009!

Fernando Schmitt
President of the Congress