Dear colleagues and friends,

The location for the 15^th EAESP General Meeting Opatija, Croatia came up in early spring 2005 in Budapest when the meeting of Eastern European psychologists and EAESP EC members was held. This was a reflection of the well-known practice of the EAESP to bring together social psychologists from East and West to share their work and knowledge. While exchanging enthusiastically the work that has been done since the changes in the political landscape of the European continent, an idea about having the next GM in one of the Eastern European countries was born. When the members of the EAESP Executive Committee visited Opatija in April, 2006 they were enchanted. They decided to give the other members a very good reason to come and enjoy Opatija. It is my honour and my great pleasure to serve as a host and a chair of the Organizing Committee of the 15^th EAESP General Meeting.

The city of Opatija is the top destination on the beautiful Adriatic coastline. The region and the city are renowned for their pleasant climate, crystal clear sea, excellent wines and gastronomy. It is no wonder that the first tourists were the European nobility who, having discovered this picturesque place, started building villas to enjoy the sun and the sea. Today, this Riviera is less than two hours by road from airports in Zagreb (Croatia), Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Trieste (Italy). It is also within driving distance of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, and Hungary. The Hotel Ambassador and the Grand Hotel Four Flowers, which are only five minutes walking distance apart, will serve as the conference venues. These, as well as most of the other hotels, are located on the seafront, with private beaches and a short walk from the town’s main attractions.

The scientific program is not the only reason to participate in the conference. The social program will offer an insight into the local culture, visits to the nearby attractions and evening entertainment. There will also be attractive pre- and post-conference tours to destinations such as Venice (Italy), the unique Plitvice Lakes National Park (a UNESCO World Heritage location), the monumental Postojna Caves (Slovenia) and the Istra peninsula. You could also visit one of the thousand Adriatic islands for a relaxing week. The weather in June should be sunny, with daytime temperatures of 20-23 degrees Celsius.

The local hosts, the Department of Psychology, University of Zagreb and the Society for Psychological Assistance (SPA), will make sure that you, as the EAESP members and guests, your family and friends feel welcome and comfortable. We believe that the beautiful environment, good companionship and delicious food will provide a stimulating atmosphere to the high quality scientific program we are gathering for.

We look forward to welcoming you in Opatija!

Prof. dr. Dinka Čorkalo Biruški

Chair, Organizing Committee