The 33rd International Danube Symposium for Neurological Sciences and Continuing Education was held in Lublin, Poland between August 29 to September 1, 2001, and it was the inaugural meeting in the third Millenium. Also, it was the first International Danube Symposium in Poland.

The Symposium was a vast achievement of the Local Organizing Committee; we would again like to express our cordial thanks to Professor Zbigniew Stelmasiak (Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee), and to all colleagues involved in the successful meeting for their perfect organisation!

The overall objective of the Symposium was well expressed and stated in the official welcome addresses of the opening ceremony, rendered by Professor Z. Stelmasiak (Poland), Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee, President of the Polish Neurological Society), Professor F. Gerstenbrand (Austria), Honorary President of the Danube Symposium, Professor J.F. Toole (USA), President of the WFN and Professor L. Vécsei (Hungary), Secretary General of the Danube Symposium. We are glad to announce that during the opening ceremony Professor Franz Gerstenbrand, Past President of EFNS, Honorary President of the International Danube Symposium received the Golden Medal of 50^th of the University Medical School, Lublin, Poland, and the Honorary membership in the Polish Neurological Society and Professor James F. Toole, President of World Federation of Neurology was awarded the Honorary Degree of Sodalem Honoris Causa, the Jubileuszowy Medal and Honorary membership in the Polish Neurological Society.

The scientific programme of the Symposium consisted of plenary sessions, educational lectures, teaching courses and poster presentations. New pieces of information on diagnostics, natural course of diseases and their treatment were presented. Invited speakers, outstanding specialists in neurology and allied disciplines were presenting current views of selected topics. Through the participation of these outstanding Scientists, this Symposium has again become attention far beyond its regional importance offered by the representative so-called "Danube countries”.

To present some statistics in connection with the Danube Symposium: there were 4 Danube Lectures, 117 poster presentations, 42 lectures, 19 teaching courses and 5 scientific presentations of the YNT. All abstracts were collected and published in the 2^nd supplement of Neurologia i Neurochirurgia Polska, the official journal of the Polish Neurology and Neurosurgery.

Danube Lectures:

• J.F. Toole (USA): Our creative brains
• I. Hausmanowa-Petrusewicz (Poland): Spinal muscular atrophy -- at the edge of centuries
• L. Vécsei (Hungary): Kynurenine system and neurodegeneration
• T. Trojanowski (Poland): Progress in operative neurosurgery.

• Stroke -- Dementia -- Progress in Multiple Sclerosis clinic and diagnostics -- Treatment of MS (round table discussion on: What is the best method of the treatment of MS) -- Epilepsy --Epileptic focus -- Involuntary movements -- Progress in neuroimaging -- Neuroethics - ethics of medical trials -- Hyperbaric oxygenation;
• A. Czl onkowska (Poland); Ch. Kessler (Germany); D. Bartko (Slovakia); P. Grieb (Poland); W. Kozubski (Poland); G. Boysen (Denmark); M. Brainin (Austria); N. Bornstein (Israel); P. Kalvach (Czech Republic); M. Barcikowska (Poland); A. Szudlik (Poland); D. Ryglewicz (Poland); R. Nassiri (USA); M. Pa chalska (Poland); H. Hartung (Austria); M. Filippi (Italy); K. Selmaj (Poland); S. Komoly (Hungary); M. Wender (Poland); J. Losy (Poland); M. Chofflon (Switzerland); U. Runge (Germany); H. Baran (Austria); G. Bauer (Austria); S. Czuczwar (Poland); A. Korczyn (Israel); I. Szirmai (Hungary); A. Friedman (Poland); M. Szczerbo-Trojanowska (Poland); J. Walecki (Poland); B. Griewing (Germany); F. Gerstenbrand (Austria); H. Baumgartner (Austria); R. Neubauer (USA).

• Teaching courses I-II-III-IV: Botulinum Toxin Treatment -- Progress in treatment of status epilepticus -- Neurosonology -- Evoked potentials
• Young Neurologist Meeting (The European Association of Young Neurologists and Trainees -- YNT): Scientific presentations by Peripheral Nerve Group, Headache Group, MS Group, Stroke Group and Dementia Group.

Finally, we should not forget to mention the variety of rich and perfectly organized social programmes offering visits to Kozlowska Palace, Castle Museum Lublin, moreover individual sightseeing trips in and around Lublin, a historic city founded 684 years ago and being full of fine cultural monuments.

Altogether 91 participants took part in the Conference among which were four from Belarus, three from Bulgaria, four from the Czech Republic, five from Croatia, three from Latvia, one from Lithuania, 17 from Moldavia, 46 from Poland, two from Rumania and four from Ucraine. The Organizing Committee decided to focus on Stroke Prevention. During the course there have been four sessions for all of the participants on stroke epideminology and therapy. Everyday in the afternoon there has been six workshops in three smaller groups.

Many esteemed researchers in neurology and neuroscience came to Warsaw to give lectures at the Course. Prof. J.F. Toole, President of World Federation of Neurology gave an opening lecture on “Neurology in the Future” and led the workshop on “Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention”.

Prof. F. Gerstenbrand, the former President of the European Federation of Neurological Societies and former General Secretary of the Danube Symposium gave a lecture on “Large Infarction of the middle cerebral artery: clinical, diagnostic and therapeutical aspects”. Among other lecturers from abroad were the President and founder of the CEESS Z. Nagy, the President Elect of the CEESS M. Brainin from Austria, D. Bartko from Slovakia, G. Boysen from Denmark, L. Csiba from Hungary, V. Demarin from Croatia, P. Kalvach from the Czech Republic and H.K. Mauritz from Germany.

The Polish lecturers were as follows: A. Czlonkowska, Z. Stelmasiak, S. Chlopicki, A. Dowzenko, K.J. Filipiak, G. Gromadzka, A. Januszewicz, W. Kozubski, M. Krawczyk, H. Kwiecinski, T. Mendel, M. Naruszewicz, M. Niewada, T. Pasierski, D. Ryglewicz, J. Seniow and A. Szczudlik.

During the Course Prof. Zoltán Nagy resigned from chairing the CEESS and the President Elect Prof. Michael Brainin took over chairmanship.

The 3^rd Educational Course of the CEESS was a great success. Many new friendships have been made and many initiatives to collaborate have been undertaken.

The following changes have been decided, and new members were elected for the Boards and Committees of the Danube Symposium:

The Danube Symposium is being planned from 29-31 August, 2002, in Bratislava, Slovakia, with the following scientific sessions: Cerebrovascular Diseases, Ultrasound in Neurology, Dementia, Epilepsy, Neuroethics, Headache, Multiple Sclerosis, Neuromuscular Diseases.

The Symposium will be preceded by teaching courses on: Cerebrovascular Diseases, Dementia, Epilepsy, Ultrasound in Neurology.

http://www.szote.u-szeged.hu/neur/danube