The International Symposium on Heavy Ion Fusion held 27–29 May 1986 in Washington, D.C., was the third in a series of symposia previously held in Darmstadt (1982) and Tokyo (1984). These symposia continued the strong tradition of international co-operation fostered at a preceding series of workshops on heavy ion fusion held in the USA (Berkeley, 1976 and 1979; Brookhaven National Laboratory, 1977; and Argonne National Laboratory, 1978).