Auroral Plasma Physics Project The aurora, whose spectacular visible displays have fascinated mankind for ages, is one of the most intriguing phenomenon in all of space plasma physics. Strong particle acceleration and wave-particle interaction effects play key roles in its formation, which to a large extent is organised by large-scale currents aligned with the magnetic field. One of the greatest challenges is the explanation of the extremely narrow width of auroral arcs. The aurora is one of the key phenomena at the end of the Sun-Earth connection chain, but the underlying physical processes should be ubiquitous in the entire universe. Although the aurora has been studied for a long time, decisive progress -- in particular regarding the clarification of the nature of the acceleration process, the fundamental role of the current systems, and the interplay between particles and fields -- has been made through the recent Freja and FAST satellite missions, sounding rocket flights, and high-resolution optical observations from the ground and from space. ISSI has deceided that the time is therefore ripe for an integration of the results by stating a project dedicated to Auroral Plasma Physics. The project brings together a group of about 30 people, with the goal to write a book on the subject. The book is expected to be state-of-the-art and comprehensive, but at the same time to contain enough tutorial material to serve as a textbook for students. The project will be carried out through workshops and working-group meetings at a rate of two per year and will extend over about two years. The first Workshop was held 25 - 29 November 1999. The project will be coordinated by a core-group consisting of: Joseph E. Borovsky, Los Alamos National Laboratory Charles W. Carlson, University of California, Berkeley Gerhard Haerendel, Max-Planck-Institut für extraterrestrische Physik Bengt Hultqvist, Swedish Institute of Space Physics Hannu Koskinen, Finnish Meteorological Institute William Lotko, Dartmout College Kristina Lynch, University of New Hampshire Göran Marklund, Royal Institute of Technology Götz Paschmann, ISSI (Project Leader).