Manfred Fitzner opened a page where you can see some footage from the Congress. To watch it click here.

Congress brochure is available for download here in PDF format.

Tanveer Ali's photo album
Anita Blom's photo album
Maartje Borghuis' photo album
Sybren Bouwsma's photo album
Manfred Fitzner's photo album
Mario Gotovac's photo album
Mario Medven's photo album
Dave Rowley's photo album

On behalf of The International Stuttering Association and The Croatian Association for People Who Stutter "Hinko Freund" we enthusiastically invite you to join us for the 8th World Congress for People Who Stutter. This will be held at the Hotel Croatia in Cavtat - Dubrovnik, Croatia, from May 6th to 11th, 2007.

The programme, with the theme INCLUSION, seeks to empower people who stutter as well as present relevant information to speech pathologists. It will include PWS from all over the World recounting their experiences in self help and speech therapists and researchers talking about their work with PWS.

This is the first time that the Congress, whose patron is President of the Republic of Croatia Stjepan Mesić (President's invitation letter), has been held in Southeastern Europe and it promises much. You will be able to experience the beautiful scenery and lifestyle here and particularly enjoy the historic city of Dubrovnik. We aim to make sure that everyone who attends the Congress has an unforgettable experience and returns home inspired and full of new ideas.

Please join us in Croatia.

Mark Irwin ISA Board Chair	Suzana Jelčić Jakšić President Croatian Association For People Who Stutter "H. Freund"

We were delighted to be awarded the Congress because we believed that it would help people in Croatia and surrounding countries to become more aware that people all over the world stutter, irrespective of race, culture, religion or other factors. This is a chance for the general public in these countries to embrace the notion that although some people stutter, they have the same potential and needs as everyone else and given fairness and opportunity they will succeed in life. Sometimes people who stutter feel very isolated and the Congress is an opportunity for everyone to learn about the ways in which people all over the world think about their stuttering, work out ways of dealing with it and find their place in society. The different challenges faced by people in different countries can be the focus of a joint understanding of what it means to be a person who stutters. Having the Congress in Croatia means that people here get the opportunity to feel and be part of a much larger whole and people from elsewhere get the opportunity to experience a taste of life in a new country. Although "Hinko Freund" is quite a new association it has done much in a few years and it now feels ready to offer itself as a host for the Congress. Croatia now has the infrastructure and the will to take its full part in hosting such events and this is a great opportunity to be a part of the world community.

The World Congress is the place for people who stutter to come together and talk with each other in an atmosphere of mutual support and respect. For those of you who have attended previous World Congresses you will be able to meet with old friends again and reminisce over tales from past Congresses as well as catch up on recent happenings. If you have never been to a World Congress, but are thinking of going, it will be a wonderful opportunity to make new friends from all over the World. What happens at a World Congress? People talk with each other, take part in workshops, listen to individuals talking about their experiences as a person who stutters and find out about the latest research and treatments. If you are a speech and language therapist we invite you to come and join us too. Having people who stutter, therapists and researchers together at the same venue ensures a rich variety of views. Everyone leaves with new knowledge and ideas of how to think about stuttering.

The organisers invite you to take part in the 8th World Congress for People Who Stutter, May 6th to 11th, 2007 in Cavtat - Dubrovnik, Croatia. Those of you who were at the previous conferences in Australia, Belgium, South Africa etc. will remember the wonderful range of speakers. We want to make sure that this Congress is just as interesting, but to do that we need you! You'll be joining and contributing to the Congress alongside keynote speakers including: Mark Irwin, Joseph Kalinowski, Mark Onslow, Rachel Everard and others.

We are looking for all types of presentations: research papers, experiences of people who stutter, therapists' experiences of working with PWS, workshops by PWS and/or therapists.

Remember, the Congress is about sharing your experiences. Here are some examples:

Making your place in life as a PWS; A way of dealing with your stutter you'd like to pass on to others; A report on the latest research you are doing; A summary of views on how you see PWS making their place in society, the world of work, etc.: Being a parent of a child who stutters and how to help them; What would make the most difference to your life as a PWS; What should governments do to help PWS create their place in Society?

Presentations can be of several lengths:

15 minutes for short talks including discussion (especially good if you've not spoken at a meeting like this before); 30 minutes including discussion; Workshops up to two hours long; A session specifically for posters.

If you would like to present at the Congress please send an abstract by email to udruga-hinkofreund@zg.t-com.hr. Abstracts should be 300 to 500 words long and in word format. Important dates for abstracts are:

Last submission date:    November 30th, 2006 Notification of acceptance date:    January 31st, 2007

A second announcement will be mailed in January 2007. This will include the preliminary congress programme and the Congress registration form.

We look forward to hearing from you.