It was a wonderful experience for me to meet so many delegates, friends and new faces in Monaco. As members and friends of AITA/IATA will expect, it was a very well organised Congress and Festival and all aspects were efficient and framed within a warm welcome and warm hospitality.

Thank you to all those who participated in the Festival.

A few notable features are worth highlighting. Simultaneous translation in the plenary sessions was most helpful and our words both in Congress and the Colloquia were expertly interpreted into and from all three official languages.

A Presidential election was held during the Congress and the two excellent candidates courageously put their names forward to the General Assembly, in the persons of Merja Laaksorvirta and Rob Van Genechten. At the end of the contest, Merja emerged as the new President Elect and she will take up office in 2011. I look forward to working with her in her new role and of course as Vice-President over the next two years.

As Rob Van Genechten’s term as Treasurer has ended, he has stepped down from the Executive Board and Council. I know that everyone will acknowledge his great expertise in handling the finances of AITA/IATA over the past eight years. Please join with me in a grateful thanks to Rob for such selfless work on behalf of us all. I have no doubt that we will meet at other AITA/IATA events.

Both candidates made inspiring speeches and Council will have to address the concerns of each candidate in the coming two years.

Pierre Cellario also stepped down from Board and Council as his terms ends as French Speaking Secretary. Not only did he have much work to do in preparation for Congress but he was also very much involved in the overall committee for the event.  His dulcet tones announcing each performance were clear; he even found time to act as announcer at a very important football match in Stade Louis-II Stadium.

As President, I extend a welcome to our past president, Jacques Lemaire in the role of French Speaking Secretary.  New representatives from the Regions joined the Council and I look forward to working with members as we continue the work of the next two years and address issues emerging from the General Assembly.

I will look back and reflect on many of the performances in the coming months with a quiet satisfaction and some joy.  This Festival was particularly grateful to His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II for taking the time from his very busy schedule to attend performances. All of us are grateful to him and to the wider government of Monaco for their continued and most generous support.

My final word is to welcome back Ene Jurna, our administrator who was taken ill in Monaco.