IAU Symposium 395 presents an overview of the progress achieved in recent years in areas related to stellar populations in the Milky Way and beyond. Thanks to the Gaia satellite and ground-based spectroscopic surveys, a vast dataset exists with detailed information on the chemistry, ages and kinematics of millions of stars in our galaxy. This volume discusses major stellar populations (halo, disk and bulge) in detail, as well as the mixture of populations in the inner Milky Way. Special attention is given to metal-poor stars, considering both local and accreted components. The results presented are based on both field and cluster stars, which are extensively analyzed in relation to the multiple population phenomenon. The methods used in abundance analysis and population synthesis are reviewed. Furthermore, to place our galaxy in context, results from cosmological simulations, external galaxies, and on future instruments are also presented.