Forty years ago the first meeting of the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitiology (WAAVP) was held in Hannover, Germany. We now have a thriving, internationally recognized organization; the meetings attract hundreds of scientists, attendance is increasing with almost every meeting. It is a useful time to review our beginnings, our development and our future. Our history has been one of innovation and activity and contributed to by its members in important areas of veterinary parasitology.