The venue that was originally selected for the IUAES 2021 Yucatan Congress was the city of Merida, as a tribute to the wealth of its different heritages, such as cultural and biological diversity and to the history and archaeology of the state of Yucatan. However, the health emergency that the whole world is undergoing since early 2020 has forced us to hold the conference in virtual mode. The panels, keynote lectures and activities shall undergo no changes other than being held virtually, thus ensuring access to all of them.  In the event that prevailing conditions and the provisions established by health authorities allow it, the call for on-site participation to the conference will be reinstated by the organisers and timely notice provided to all participants.

We would like to extend everyone the warmest welcome to the IUAES 2021 Yucatan Congress. We hope that the participation of the women and men from different countries around the globe will make important contributions to the debate and anthropological reflection for analysis of the complexity of today’s world.