The IPSO ⁄ IPA Congress convened in Chicago, July 28th-August 1st, 2009. The Congress theme was “Psychoanalytic Practice: Convergences and Divergences.” In total, 1,600 IPSO participants attended a well-organized and high-tech Congress. Our own IPSO Congress Day -- Tuesday, July 28th -- exemplified this: with the help of large LCD screens, three plenary papers, one from each IPSO ⁄ IPA were followed by rich discussion of diverse understandings of each paper. The Congress was a unique opportunity to listen, learn and discover what psychoanalysts are doing around the globe.

IPSO was well represented at the Congress with 44 paper presentations and 3 case presentations for IPSO International supervisions. IPSO's Executive Committee prepared the Congress with great care and enthusiasm in an endeavor to welcome current members and to invite new membership. Several colleagues presented their work and participated in discussions. Some highlights were the three plenary papers, given by Patrícia Aisemberg (Europe), Gavril Hercz (North America) and Anália Wald (Latin America). Anália was awarded the Sacerdoti Prize (she is also the first candidate to receive this award since its inception). IPSO also presented our first Writing Award to winners from each IPSO region: Jean Marc Tauszik (Latin America), Armelle Hours (Europe) and Karim Dajani (North America). Israel Katz, our former Editor, was instrumental in in-spiring the IPSO Executive Committee with this Idea. His contribution will incite and inspire future IPSO members to achieve one of IPSO's many mission goals: to further scholarly and international discourse through the medium of writing and presentation. Later in the Congress week, the Tyson Prize (an IPA writing award given to a candidate) was presented to Tracey Simon (North America).

IPSO's Business Meeting was on Friday, July 31st. The Executive Committee presented work completed in the past two years, including discounted PepWeb subscriptions for IPSO members, the Visiting Candidate Program, the DPPT Grant from the IPA for the updating and reconfiguration of the IPSO Website, and IPSO's first-ever Writing Award. After speeches from the candidates for officers, the new Executive Committee was elected. Our new ExCom will have the challenge of continuing IPSO's good and important work: maintaining IPSO's high standards and dedication to our colleagues around the world.

As a Grand Finale we all had a chance to celebrate old and new friendships Friday night at a wonderful party at the Sears Tower, a great landmark of the Windy City. We danced, dined on superb fare and watched the lights of the city from high above – the 66th Floor! Chicago’s local planning committee, under the excellent leadership of Jeffrey Seiden, inspired us all in finding such a beautiful venue: elegant, large enough for spirited play and dining and sparkling with a lively IPSO crowd.

In the last day of the Congress near the hotel lobby area, shots of tequila were distributed while a Mariachi band played, announcing the next IPSO/IPA Congress to be held in Mexico City in July of 2011. We hope to see you all there!