The picture on the cover reflects the many facets of crystallography that will be explored at the XVII Congress including studies of macromolecular interactions (a human transcription factor bound to DNA, Müller et al., Nature, 373, 311, 1995, photo courtesy of Steven Harrison), surfaces structure (STM image of the sulfur induced Reconstruction on the Ni (111) Surface courtesy of Robert Feidenhans'l), diffraction phenomena (hexagonal pattern from a lauryl peroxide/urea inclusion complex, courtesy of K. D. M. Harris), and methods of crystallization (natural salt on the shore of the Dead Sea, courtesy of Menachem Shoham).