The Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB) and Kunming Institute of Zoology(KIZ), research institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), invite you to join us in Kunming, China from 26-31 October 2013 for the Fifth International Barcode of Life Conference. The conference is co-hosted by the International Barcode of Life Project (iBOL) and the iBOL China National Committee, in consultation with the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL). DNA barcoding has come a long way since December 2011 when we met in Adelaide for the Fourth International Barcode of Life Conference. The 2013 conference will provide an opportunity for delegates from around the globe to showcase and discuss scientific advancements in DNA barcoding and the wide-ranging socio-economic applications developed since the Adelaide Conference, and to review the progress in this field over the past decade. The Kunming conference will bring barcode researchers together to exchange ideas and plan new activities, and to learn about barcoding activities in China and the region. The theme of the conference is “Global Change and the Barcode of Life: Challenges and Opportunities”. The conference will be held at the Lian Yun Hotel near Green Lake with a stunning view of Kunming. There will be two days of pre-conference workshops, including full-day short courses that will introduce participants to the lab protocols of DNA barcoding and to the management and analysis of barcode data. The week of events will culminate in a barcoding event for the public in the Kunming Botanic Garden of KIB. Registration will be limited by the capacity of the conference venue, so please register soon to ensure your participation. Please also continue to check this website (http://dnabarcodes2013.org or http://dnabarcodes2013.csp.escience.cn) as we add information (see Important Dates). To receive future notices, online registration is needed. We look forward to seeing you all in Kunming in October!