Postponing IMC20

The IFSM Executive committee met on the 29^th April together with representatives from the Korean Society for Microscopy to consider the current dates for the 20^th International Congress on Microscopy in light of the current status of the Covid 19 pandemic.

In our discussions we were keenly aware that IMC is an international congress and that vaccination levels and travel restrictions are currently very different globally and that is unlikely to be fully resolved in 2022, especially if there is a significant third wave of infection. We also recognise the economic uncertainties facing our trade partners.

For these reasons, on balance the committee has decided to postpone IMC20 to the year 2023 and it will now be held from the 9^th to the 16^th September 2023 in Busan as a face-to-face meeting with an option for a hybrid meeting if necessary.

I realise that for many of you, looking forward to meeting your colleagues at a major meeting for the first time since 2019 this will be a disappointment but we have to take a decision now to secure the congress venue for 2023.

Kind regards,

Angus Kirkland

President, The International Federation of Societies for Microscopy