Report of the 55th Annual Meeting of the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons.

After nearly three years of the pandemic during which the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons community has been spread across the globe, 2022 brought many of its members back together again with the first in-person meeting of the society in Quito, Pichincha, Ecuador. The previous in-person PAPS meeting occurred in Christchurch New Zealand, in 2019 shortly before a devastating shooting at two of Christchurch's mosques. The years that followed were marked by the ravages of COVID, with massive disruption of medical and surgical systems and restrictions on travel. Two virtual conferences in 2020 and 2021 maintained the spirit of PAPS, but 2022 provided the opportunity to gather the far flung members of PAPS into the historic city of Quito to engage in dynamic face-to-face discussions, debates, and presentations. The culture and energy of the city provided a fitting backdrop for a long-awaited reunion and an exceptional program. Dr. Maro Riquelme, the JPS lecturer, spoke on the challenges and successes of building a minimally invasive surgical program in Latin America while the Gans lecturer, Monica Castro, an environmentalist and Galapagos tour guide, provided an overview of the magnificent flora and fauna of the Galapagos islands while reminding the attendees of the threats and challenges faced by the vulnerable ecosystem.