This series of meetings was started at Eisenach, former GDR, in 1987, in a somewhat isolated medieval castle with long traditions. There was a good mix of younger and older scientists and of participants from Western and Eastern Europe countries. Succeeding meetings have continued to be in relatively isolated locations: St. Kyrik (Bulgaria), Peterhof (Russia), Spetses (Greece), Luminy (France), Puchberg/Schneeberg (Austria), Heeze (The Netherlands) and Almagro (Spain). MODA was a vital link between East and West during the difficult cold-war period. It has now come of age and traditions of collaboration and friendship going back 15-20 years can be passed onto a second generation and act as a springboard for future joint research activities.