It’s official! With the ERS 2010 in Barcelona still in its sights, ERS has already decided that Amsterdam will be the venue of the 2011 Annual Congress. Dates are from 24 to 28 September. ERS President 2010-2011 is Marc Decramer; Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Bel is congress chair and Prof. Dr. Peter Jan Sterk congress co-chair.

For the design of the Congress literature and posters our Dutch hosts have made a special plea to be spared the tulips and windmills. Instead, ERS has opted for a striking image of ancient merchants’ houses, with their characteristic rooftops and carvings, bordering one of the city’s canals—and the colour orange*.

This will be the first time ERS will be holding the event in the Dutch capital. What makes an excellent congress venue? According Patricia Foo, manager of ERS congress and events, participation—upwards of 18,000 and growing—limits the choice of cities: only seven or eight in Europe have the capacity to host such a large number.

Anyone who has visited Amsterdam RAI, the major conference and exhibition centre within the city limits, knows the venue offers more than ample space—some 90,000 square metres. Frequent, reliable and comfortable transport is available to and from the city centre and airport. Tram stops are located near the RAI main entrance.

As for the perspective of nine months of congress arrangements: “It’s always a great pleasure to launch negotiations and work with people from different European cultures,” says Patricia Foo, echoing the operational and relational strategy of ERS.

*Although not in the national flag (horizontal, tricolour, top to bottom red, white and blue), orange is traditionally associated with all Dutch national celebrations by virtue of its link to the Dutch royal family, the House of Oranje-Nassau, which dates back to William van Oranje (William of Orange).