The European Centre for Theoretical Studies in Nuclear Physics and Related Areas (ECT) held its inaugural symposium last month. The centre, in Trento in northern Italy, is the first of its kind in Europe and aims to become a meeting place for the exchange of ideas in nuclear physics through research workshops and meetings. At present the ECT has a small nucleus of permanent scientific staff and preliminary scientific activities have been under way since July. There are also plans to appoint postdoctoral researchers.