The theme of the congress is “a Mediterranean perspective on Quaternary Sciences” since we strongly believe that the Mediterranean region, so geologically young and active, is the ideal place where to discuss the processes and events that shaped the landscape, the environment and the ecosystems in the last 2.58 million years. From the glacial systems in the Alps to the desert facing the southern shore, from the large coastal plains and deltas to the rocky coasts where the mountain ranges reach the sea, from the karst to the lacustrine to the volcanic environments, almost all of the Quaternary features are present in the region. The congress is organized by Sapienza University, the National Research Council and the Italian Association for Quaternary Studies in cooperation with the whole body of Italian Quaternary scientists. It also relies on support provided by the main Italian scientific societies and governmental institutions dealing with Quaternary themes as well as by many countries from around the Mediterranean.