Like a Snowflake: A Year of Precision, Purpose, and Collective Beauty

Like a Snowflake: A Year of Precision, Purpose, and Collective Beauty

Every snowflake is unique shaped by physics, geometry, and nature, yet never accidental. It forms through a delicate balance of structure and spontaneity, order and creativity. Looking back at ESRA in 2025, this image feels particularly fitting.

This year, ESRA moved forward with intention and clarity, proving that growth can be both carefully planned and beautifully organic. From January to December, our activities formed a precise yet living structure—much like a snowflake—each branch distinct, each contributing to a greater whole.

In 2025, ESRA reached tens of thousands across the globe. The World Day of Regional Anaesthesia & Pain Medicine alone connected 60,000 participants worldwide, a powerful reminder that shared knowledge can transcend borders in a single moment. Across the year, in-person educational events gathered more than 1,000 participants, while the ESRA Annual Congress in Oslo welcomed 2,086 colleagues, reinforcing the strength of face-to-face scientific exchange. At the same time, our webinar program reached 5,762 attendees, proving that accessibility and excellence can coexist.

But numbers only tell part of the story. What truly shaped 2025 was the community behind them.

This December issue reflects that spirit. We highlight scientific leadership through the GRAITE-USRA consensus, setting standards for how artificial intelligence will responsibly shape regional anaesthesia. We share voices and journeys through personal reflections and interviews, including the conversation with Dr. Athmaja Thottungal. We look ahead to the 3rd World Day of Regional Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, now growing under new leadership and renewed global ambition, and we invite our readers to engage with the rich calendar of ESRA events planned for 2026, continuing this collective momentum.

At the heart of it all stands our community —7001 Members [81% from Europe, 19% out of Europe]— each one a unique crystal in this shared structure.

As we look toward 2026, may we continue to grow like a snowflake: precise yet flexible, grounded in science yet open to wonder, individual yet inseparable from the whole.

Thank you for being part of ESRA’s shape this year.