Over 150 people gathered in the Netherlands for a symposium titled “Mars – The Living Planet” hosted by the Dutch chapter. The symposium was widely covered in the Dutch media. Featured speakers included Mauro Messerotti, John Karemaker, Erwin Kroll, Robert Zubrin and Chris McKay. By all accounts this was a successful symposium. The meeting however is just a warmup for the upcoming first European Mars Society Conference to be held in Paris September 28-30.