With over 110 microsymposia, 30 Keynote Speakers, 17 pre-congress workshops, four prize lectures, three Plenary Speaker presentations and about 1700 participants from all over the world, the 26th Congress of the International Union of Crystallography has been an important moment to promote international cooperation and developments in crystallography.

The IUCr Congress and General Assembly is held every three years around the world: the IUCr 2023 took place on 22-29 August in Melbourne (Australia) and was hosted by the Society of Crystallographers in Australia and New Zealand.

The participation of the Italian crystallography community was significant and crystallography in Italy continues to be a cornerstone of the IUCr.

Prof. Consiglia Tedesco of the University of Salerno was among the keynote speakers and Prof. Gilberto Artioli of the Department of Geosciences of the University of Padua was involved as member of the Commission on Crystallography in Art and Cultural Heritage. Angela Altomare of the CNR-IC is part of the Executive Committee of IUCr.

The IUCr 2023 will be remembered also for an extraordinary record: the world’s biggest diamond structure is the result of 5 days of buildings and many people’s help. Its numbers are 59.956 atoms, 118.724 bonds, 329 kg. 24 layers, bottom edge 3.69 m, top edge 2.31 m, height 1.11 m.

The countdown to the next international event that involves the community of crystallographers has already started: the 34th European Crystallographic Meeting will take place in Padova from 26-31 August 2024. Check the ECM34 website for all updates.