I would like to express my cordial thanks to all who helped organise the 27^th International Nursing Conference in Ioannina and made it a success.

I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to IPONS and its Executive Committee, who entrusted the Department of Nursing at the University of Ioannina to host and organise the 27^th International Nursing Conference.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to the Rectoral Authorities of the University of Ioannina and specifically to Rector Prof. Anna Batistatou, who has always supported and nurtured the academic aspirations of the Department of Nursing. Also, I would like to acknowledge and recognise the assistance of the University Senate and the Deanship of the School of Health Sciences in approving and facilitating the processes for hosting the Conference.

I would like to express my most profound appreciation, and I will forever be deeply indebted to the Chair of the Conference Review Committee, Prof. Mary Gouva, for her valuable advice, relentless support and guidance in organising the Conference and for her many years of support and mentoring, for which I am forever grateful.

I would like to express my deepest appreciation and gratitude to the Chair of the Organizing Committee, Dr Nektaria Zagorianakou, for her invaluable insights into organising the Conference, for her unrelenting and creative energy in coordinating the conference activities from day one and for her profound belief that this Conference would be a success.

I am also extremely grateful to Prof. Miriam Bender and Dr Jess Dillard-Wright, my co-editor-in-chief and associate editor at the journal of Nursing Philosophy, who always provided constructive feedback, practical suggestions and patience with me in bouncing ideas off them.

I am also grateful to all members of the Department of Nursing, including the Teaching Faculty, Special Teaching Staff, Lab. Assistants and Administrative Staff, who volunteered their time, provided helpful advice and displayed kindness and patience during this busy period.

I would like to acknowledge all the Keynote Speakers for their willingness to share their accumulated knowledge and experiences at the Conference and recognise that their presence honoured and made the Conference more attractive.

I also wish to thank all the presenters, attendees and members of the Conference Committees, who shared their scholarly work, efforts and ideas at and for the Conference.

I am also grateful to Ms Lina Siamopoulou and her team from Conferre S.A, whose role was instrumental and invaluable in organising, publicising, and coordinating the Conference, always with kindness and patience.

Also, a special thanks goes to Mr Menelaos Sykovelo for the creative and beautiful photography exhibition and his artistic contributions to the Conference.

I would also like to thank all the sponsors, particularly the personnel and Heads of the Epirus Region, the Municipality of Arta, the Ancient Theater of Dodona, and the Red Cross, who supported the Conference.

Finally, I am particularly grateful to and appreciative of all the volunteers, students, musicians and University staff who creatively, tirelessly and with dedication contributed, within their role, to the success of the 27^th International Nursing Conference.

Chair of the Conference
Prof. Stefanos Mantzoukas