#WMS2025
#WMS2025
Each year we aim to evolve the WMS Congress based on delegate feedback to make sure we're meeting your needs and justifying your time. This year, we have a number of highlights that we're proud to share.
We're very excited to be celebrating our 30th anniversary Congress in Vienna. We have created a special celebratory film with images from across the last three decades and voices from the WMS community, including our founding president, Victor Dubowitz. Join us for the Congress Welcome from 09:00 on Wednesday 8th October to see the premier screening of our anniversary film.
Wednesday 8th October, 16:15-17:00, Hall D
Back by popular demand, the Congress debate returns for its fourth year. The subject: Should families be offered n=1 treatments? The session will be moderated by Michelle Lorentzos, The Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network, Australia and Jorge A Bevilacqua, Universidad de Chile, Chile.
In recent years, we have shifted our focus to make sure early career researchers and clinicians are supported and have access to Congress activities and information. We have developed a number of sessions and initiatives with those in the early stages of their careers in mind. You can find more information about our early career activities on the relevant page of the Congress website.
The WMS Environmental Sustainability Committee has spent the time since WMS 2024 developing a comprehensive sustainability strategy. If you have been to a previous WMS Congress, you will notice we have started to do some things differently. We are reducing printed materials and food waste, having meat-free menu days and prioritising working with local suppliers. You can read more about our sustainability efforts on the sustainability page of the website. We're also encouraging you to get involved by bringing reusable items, like lanyards and water bottles with you. If you were at WMS 2024, you can use last year's lanyard. Unfortunately, we can't have people wearing anything other than plain or WMS lanyards because of the Congress accreditation rules. We’ll use up the ones we have left to give those who don’t have one to bring. We also encourage you to bring your own notebook and pen as we don't have these available to give out to delegates.
One of the focus areas for the strategy is sustainable research. With that in mind, we have been seeking sustainability posters for presentation at this year's Congress under three sub-topic headings:
We will be displaying the selected presentations at WMS 2025 and encourage you to review these within one of the programmed poster sessions.
This will be held on Friday 10th October, 13:00-14:00 in Hall D
As 2025 is a WMS Executive Board election year, our new Board will be formed at the Executive Board meeting on Tuesday 7th October. The WMS General Assembly is when the WMS membership will have their first opportunity to meet the newly elected Board and find out who our new executive officers (President, Treasurer and Secretary) are.
This will be held on Thursday 9th October, 07:40-09:15 in Hall D
In 2023, we added an interesting cases discussion to the Congress programme to replicate a similar session within the Pre-Congress Teaching Course. This has quickly become one of the most popular Congress sessions, with delegates using their combined, global knowledge to solve difficult, unusual or as yet unsolved cases. Following feedback, we have extended this session for 2025 and moved it into the main Congress hall, to make sure we have space for everyone who wants to attend.
Our committees are hard-working groups of WMS members that advance the Society's work on key issues throughout the year. Look out for committee members wearing a pin-badge and talk to them about the work of their committee and how you can get involved. There will also be a dedicated exhibition stand in Hall X1, with information about what the WMS committees have achieved so far and what they are hoping to achieve in the future. Please check the Congress programme closer to the date of the Congress to find out when you can meet specific committee members on the exhibition stand.
Thursday 9th October, 13:45-14:45, Hall G
We are excited to announce a unique opportunity for early to mid-career delegates to engage with the WMS community. This session is a fantastic opportunity for early to mid-career delegates to meet their newly-elected WMS Board representative and collaborate with fellow early to mid-career and other Congress delegates over a light lunch.
Tuesday 7th October, 15:30-16:30, Hall G
The WMS launched its Regional Networks earlier this year to build global bridges for neuromuscular care for each of the global regions with the aim of facilitating collaboration, learning and support across each region. To introduce these networks to our Congress delegates, we will be welcoming everyone to WMS 2025 with an information session hosted by our Regional Network leads. We will be serving both hot and cold drinks, offering a relaxed environment for you to meet fellow professionals, share experiences, and explore regional differences and resources. All delegates are encouraged to attend, learn from one another, and contribute to our growing global community.
Vienna has an excellent public transport system and the Congress Centre is well connected to all parts of the city. This year, we are offering every delegate a complimentary travel card for the duration of the Congress. You will receive your Metro ticket when you collect your name badge from the registration desk when you first arrive at the Congress. This means you will need to make your own way to the Congress venue from the airport or central train station. Only one Metro ticket can be provided per delegate. It is your responsibility to look after your complimentary ticket. Unfortunately, if you lose it or it gets damaged, you will have to replace it yourself. Replacement tickets are available to buy within Vienna's Metro stations. While you have your Metro ticket, you will be able to use it for all journeys within Vienna, including for your own social activities.
If you have any questions about this or any aspect of the Congress, we encourage you to look at the Information and Frequently Asked Questions pages of the Congress website.
We are pleased to provide a dedicated family-friendly room (room -2.82. It will be signposted in the venue) in the Congress Centre for attendees who are bringing young children. This room will have child-friendly snacks and activities, including an arts and crafts table, age-appropriate games, and an assortment of small books and toys. Children and families are welcome to use and share items within the room as needed. We do ask that all entertainment items please remain in the space for other children and families to use throughout the Congress.
The Congress virtual platform will be live-streamed into the space so WMS attendees with families can experience the Congress content while also spending needed time with family members.
Please note that children are not permitted within the rest of the congress spaces or events and should not be left unattended in the room.
To comply with Ethical MedTech rules, we have to charge a nominal fee for use of the family room. The fee will be £1 per day or £5 for the whole Congress (including the Pre-Congress Teaching Course). We will contact those who have registered their interest in using the family room in advance of the Congress with more details.
For the third year, we will be donating £10,000 to local good causes identified by our Local Organising Committee. You'll have the chance to vote for the local charity you believe to be most deserving.
With members and non-members attending WMS 2025 from all over the world, we want to make sure people of all faiths have a quiet space to observe their rituals and prayers. The Multi-Faith Room is meeting room -2.64 (it will be signposted in the venue) on the Congress floor of the Congress Venue.
WMS members may already be aware of our bi-monthly virtual networking events. For WMS 2025, we’re once again bringing the virtual into the real world.
Throughout the Congress, you will be able to get barista-made drinks. At each of the morning coffee breaks, you will be invited to meet representatives from some of the WMS Committees and find out more about what's involved, please see the Programme for more information.
To support early career researchers and clinicians as you raise your professional profile, we will once again be providing opportunities to have professional profile photos taken. You'll be able to use these photos for presentations, programmes and more. All profile photo sessions will take place in room -2.62.
Congresses are full of opportunities to learn and experience new things, but they are also rich in stimulation, and with the constant outward-facing and switched-on nature they can also be overwhelming, exhausting and triggering, both mentally and physically.
We will have a dedicated quiet space which we are calling our Quiet Room in meeting room -2.65 in the Congress Centre (it will be signposted in the venue) where you can take some quiet time to reground before returning to the Congress activities. No devices, talking, eating or food will be allowed so that the space is truly welcoming and calming for all.
Whether you're joining the Congress virtually or attending in person, we want to make sure you understand what's being said. We have once again employed a live translation service, called Wordly. You'll be able to translate from the English of the presentations to your first language. We'll be working in the background to make sure the translation is as accurate as possible, but please share any feedback on how well it works for you.
