As a response to the global climate and energy changes, the sustainable trip to Ithaka is the main topic of UNITECR 2023 in Frankfurt for all industries, in particular for the refractory sector. Our discipline deals with sustainable materials for high-temperature processing as well as with sustainable processing of high-temperature materials. It is a unique opportunity for our materials, not only to be used as hidden heroes, but to show to the world that we can succesfully meet the challenges with our materials, with refractories. Everything is flowing "ta panta rei" as Heraclitus mentioned 2500 years ago. Please keep in mind: Not only one way will bring us to Ithaka, but more different combinations of firing, hybrid firing, composite smart material systems, supported by computational design, will provide the answers for these emerging and challeging topics.

Prof. Christos G. Aneziris on the occassion of the 18^th Biennal World Congress on Refractories UNITECR 2023