The fifth edition of the International Conference on Stuttering (ICOS), held at the Park Hotel of Villa Grazioli, October 24-26, 2024, in Grottaferrata (RM), in the beautiful setting of the Castelli Romani, had as its central theme: Expectations and needs of people who stutter. The world of research meets the clinic to best address the needs and well-being of people who stutter.

The International Conference on Stuttering kicks off in 2012, reaching its fifth edition in 2025. The growing number of participants from all over the world confirms that ICOS is a highly anticipated and appreciated event, thanks to the value of the choices made by the Scientific Committee, which, every three years, selects a panel of world-renowned speakers from the most renowned national and international universities and research and clinical centers.

This edition of the Conference was a valuable time for researchers, clinicians and people who stutter to compare and share, a significant opportunity for scientific and professional enrichment.

The 2024 edition featured more than ten Keynote Speakers and more than forty scientific contributions, presented in plenary sessions and in poster form. Talks ranged from preschool interventions to bilingualism in individuals who stutter, from variability in stuttering to the effects of non-invasive brain stimulation on fluency. Pioneering studies on the use of virtual reality in the assessment and treatment of stuttering were presented, and the process of change in adolescents who stutter was investigated. Other contributions explored the emotional impact of stuttering on the everyday life of people who stutter, the possible relationship between anxiety and stuttering, and the conditioning exerted by stigma and self-stigma, not forgetting work with families. Each day included a space dedicated to dialogue between researchers, clinicians and people who stutter, fostering a constructive and stimulating exchange.

Deep gratitude goes to the members of the scientific committee, Prof. Mark Onslow, Prof. Kurt Eggers and, as of this edition, Prof. Bridget Walsh. Their expertise was instrumental in topic selection and program design, while their prestigious presence helped make ICOS 2024 an unforgettable experience. Special thanks go to all the Keynote Speakers, including Medhi Bakhtiar, Michael Blomgren, Michael Boyle, Ho Ming Chow, Tricia Hedinger, Eric Jackson, Ross Menzies, Sharon Millard, Shahriar SheikBahaei, Martine Vanryckeghem, and Patricia Zebrowski for their inspiring and generous presentations. Many thanks also to all colleagues who shared their research through talks and posters, totaling more than 30 contributions.