Analytical chemistry is important to chemistry and society at large in the daily function of our lives and in the products we produce. In this International Year of Chemistry, the editors of Talanta felt it would be appropriate to invite some leaders in the field around the world to contribute a letter to the journal, depicting “Analytical Chemistry in the International Year of Chemistry”, giving their perspectives of the field, with some historical perspective and a vision for the future. While the list of those who have made substantial contributions to analytical chemistry and have helped advance the field and forge new directions over their careers is large, invitations were necessarily limited, and we have attempted to get perspectives from around the globe from a few individuals. We hope our readers will benefit from these stories of the importance of analytical chemistry to all of us. Different contributions will appear as lead articles in separate issues for the remainder of the year.