The XXXI International Congress of the International Academy of Pathology and the 28th Congress of the European Society of Pathology will for the first time be organised as a joint venture. It will be held, from 25 September to 29 September 2016, in the KölnMesse in Cologne, Germany. Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city, and is the largest city both in the German Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants. Cologne is located on both sides of the Rhine River. The city's famous Cologne Cathedral (Kölner Dom) is the seat of the Catholic Archbishop of Cologne. The University of Cologne is one of Europe's oldest and largest universities. Cologne is a major cultural centre for the Rhineland; it is home to more than thirty museums and hundreds of galleries. Exhibitions range from local ancient Roman archeological sites to contemporary graphics and sculpture. On behalf of the German Division of the International Academy of Pathology and the European Society of Pathology we would like to invite you to join us in Cologne for an exciting and stimulating congress that will reflect recent developments in diagnostic and molecular pathology. The motto of the Congress – Predictive Pathology, Guiding and Monitoring Therapy – indicates the future role of pathology as a strong partner for the different clinical specialties. The scientific programme will include science, translational research and clinical application to provide delegates with information on recent research findings, new technologies and up to date education. In addition to providing an interesting scientific and educational programme the IAP/ESP 2016 meeting will serve as a get-together for pathologists and scientists from all over the world in a friendly atmosphere. The delegates are kindly invited to see all the various bars and restaurants serving the well known beer, called Kölsch. Kölsch is also the name of the local dialect. This has led to the common joke of Kolsch being the only language one can drink. We are looking forward to welcoming you and spending a great time in Cologne.