It seems to me that we cannot go any length of time without our world being struck by either terrorism, war, extreme weather conditions, financial crisis to name but a few.

Now, after California, fires are set in Australia, damaging houses and properties, ruining people's life and more dramatically killing peoples. All of us at UICH are hoping that very soon, those fires will be under controls once and for all. Our thoughts are with those people of Australia living this tragedy.

On the brighter side of life there is this incredible positive reaction of human kind at coping, fighting and at looking to a brighter tomorrow.

In less than a month time, many of us will be meeting for our yearly international congress in Hangzhou China. Through the year gone by, I have had the great satisfaction at providing the high standards required by UICH.

It will then be time for me to hand over the current affairs to a new president and a new board. I intend to give them rapidly all the necessaries elements, giving them the immediate possibility to be well informed and ready to work.

These 2 years have given me great satisfaction, above all meeting many of you and exchanging our views on our profession and our fantastic association. All my gratitude to the excellent work made by the executive board with a special tribute to Virginia Casale, our international secretary. Thank you also to the zone directors for being so pro active, to all national presidents for their day to day efforts, to the Comité des Sages for its wisdom, to the Paris Office and Esther support and of course a big thank you to you all, dear members, at being on a day to day routine excellent at your job.

For the next 2 years, in my capacity of past president, I shall look forward to seeing you all many more times.

Your friend,

Roger