Dear Colleagues,

Congress 2010 has just come to a close but the legacy of this mammoth undertaking will be long-lasting. It has been a wonderful eight days and the feedback that we received from both the Federation and from the delegates was extremely positive. Delegates said that we set the bar for future Congress events and they were blown away by both the warm Concordia welcome and special Concordia content that enriched Congress 2010.

There will be time to evaluate the full impact of Congress 2010 on our academic community and Concordia's visibility and reputation, but our general impression is that this has been an event that has marked the history of our institution.

It is important that we all recognize what we have accomplished. The entire Concordia community is to be congratulated for the generosity of spirit and warmth shown to the thousands of delegates who flooded our campus. The Concordia community went out of its way to be helpful and welcoming. We also showed what we had to offer in our special programming and events that became highlights for many Congress-goers and a draw to the wider public and the media.

I want to express my gratitude to the hundreds of people who gave of their time, energy and creativity to make Congress 2010 something very special: from the hundreds of volunteers who stood out on the streets and around the Congress site greeting and helping visitors find their way; the veritable army of support people who made sure that every facet of the event went off without a hitch; the group of organizers and committee members who worked for two years putting this event together; the Branché and Human Rights Day teams who made sure that the innovative work at Concordia was showcased and all of our presenters who shared Concordia's expertise with colleagues from across the country.

While there are many people who deserve to be publicly thanked for their effort, I would like to send a special note of thanks to Convenor Ronald Rudin who worked so diligently and graciously both to prepare Congress and preside over many events. I must also single out the efforts of Marie-Josée Allard who, as project manager, was key in ensuring that no detail was overlooked and that this fabulous event was so successful.

Congress 2010 has been a tremendous boost for Concordia and we are working to ensure that the momentum is not lost.

A sincere merci to everyone.

Louise Dandurand
Chair, Congress Steering Committee
Vice-President Research & Graduate Studies