 Welcome to the 2023 FEMMS Congress here in Hamburg. It's a wonderful being back in person. Nothing replaces human contact. I'm enjoying it immensely. I think there's a great selection of talks and topics covering all aspects of microbiology. Really, really interesting things. You never know what you're going to learn. This is the first time I've ever been to a FEMMS Congress. I've had a delightful time. I think I would give it as a habit.