During the 2020 European Respiratory Society (ERS) International Congress, the author of the best abstract (highest average score of abstract reviewers and only those who had not applied or were not eligible for a sponsored award) of every Assembly was awarded “a best-abstract certificate”. Best-abstract awardees were invited to write a short summary about their virtual Congress experience and their view on the evolving field of research in light of their respective ERS Assembly. The purpose of this article is to give the readers a quick overview of some of the Congress highlights and to give the stage to the promising best-abstract awardees as they are the future of the ERS.