“The first National Mechanical Engineering Meeting, the first seed of the COBEM, was held in 1971 in Florianopolis, and I was there participating as a student. Now, fifty years later, having been a protagonist and witness of so many transformations, I have the honor to be the Chair of the 26th COBEM as a Professor at the same Mechanical Engineering Department of the Federal University of Santa Catarina. This year’s theme is ‘Mechanical Engineering – Tailoring the Future’, in recognition of our role in shaping and materializing ideas to solve today´s problems and to create possible futures. I wholeheartedly wish to welcome you in the next summer at this so special part of the world.” Sergio Luiz Gargioni – Chair of the ABCM 26th COBEM.