It was under a severe thunderstorm that we opened the “Joint AIRAPT-25 & EHPRG-53” International Conference on High Pressure Science and Technology held in Madrid from August 30th to September 4th, 2015. Probably, that was a sky signal to announce that the large shock-wave community was there representing the outstanding role they play in our field. And indeed they do, as it was clearly demonstrated during the whole meeting with a balanced participation of dynamic and static compression contributions within the wide range of topics covered in this successful conference. The strong efforts we had invested to have with us all the potential areas touching the high-pressure field were amply compensated by the presence and high quality of scientists spanning a wide range of topics: Bio- and Life Sciences, Food Science and Technology, Metrology and Industrial Applications, Theory and Computational Modeling, Spectroscopic and Structural Studies, Condensed Matter, Geo- and Planetary Sciences, Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Materials Science and Energetic, and Materials Chemistry and Molecular Systems. By no doubt, it was demonstrated that High-Pressure is a unique “hot” field of research displaying both multi- and inter-disciplinary features, which makes cooperation not only a natural but also a necessary ingredient for a prosperous investigation. The “Joint AIRAPT-25 & EHPRG-25” conference was a faithful reflection of this scenario.Our plenary speakers convey the spirit of the conference in a brilliant way from different perspectives. Raymond Jeanloz and Roland Winter were in charge to cope the challenge of presenting panoramic views and latest results of two extreme realms, hard matter and planetary interiors the former, soft matter and biomolecular systems the later. Paul Loubeyre, Ross T. Howie and Oleksandr O. Kurakevych (Bridgman, Jamieson and EHPRG awardees, respectively) were provided with the same plenary time for their talks. The first two focused their participation on one of the most candent and long-living cases of study in high-pressure science: dense hydrogen. Kurakeviych illustrated the technological benefits of incorporating high-pressure techniques in materials science by disclosing how silicon-based allotropes can be useful for industrial applications. These are just representative examples of the rich variety of themes that under the umbrella of thirty careful selected keynote speakers were developed in a number of parallel sessions covering all the above mentioned topics. Last but not least, Karl Syassen showed us the beautiful journey of the history of AIRAPT over the last 50 years to celebrate the 25th AIRAPT conference.And the merit for the success of the conference was, of course, on the very high and active participation of attendees coming from all over the world. More than one hundred and fifty oral contributions and near three hundred posters clearly illustrate the effervescence of high-pressure science and technology nowadays. These proceedings are a good sample of this propitious atmosphere!We are aware of the many endeavors still pending to spread high-pressure in academia and laboratories. And we know that young researchers need to be instructed to incorporate high-pressure science and technology in their investigations. With these goals in mind, a “Summer Under Pressure School (SUPS)” was scheduled just two days before the opening of the conference. Following the scheme of our previous Spanish High-Pressure Schools, SUPS was split into Theory, Experimental Techniques and Applications blocks with fourteen one-hour lectures delivered by experts in all the different topics. They included plenary speakers of the “Joint AIRAPT-25 & EHPRG-25” conference, as well as former and current presidents of the EHPRG. It was a successful school with full occupancy (more than seventy students) revealing that the good health of High-Pressure will continue at least during some next generations.We would like to finish this Foreword by thanking all the speakers and participants, along with exhibitors and sponsors for making it possible to fulfill the leit-motiv of the conference organizers, Madrid: a place for pressure, a place for pleasure!The MALTA-Consolider Team