Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Did you know that Prague is the home to the largest castle in the world? Dating back to the ninth century, the Prague Castle spans an impressive 18 acres and is home to stunning cathedrals, chapels, royal palaces and gorgeous ornamental gardens…
After Atlanta 2016, it is a great honor and pleasure to welcome you all to Prague and to the second joint AAZV, EAZWV and Leibniz-IZW Zoo and Wildlife Health Conference.
In contrast to the wonderful historic centre of Prague, which has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, our conference will present you with newest scientific knowledge on zoo and wildlife health topics. I am sure, we will have a good time in Prague with hands on workshops, great scientific presentations, round table discussions, colleagues from all over the world, and networking opportunities during the conference and during the diverse social program. And not to forget, we also get a taste of the Czech culture. Good to know, the locals from Prague drink more beer per capita than any other nation in the world. Just in case you were wondering, each Praguee consumes roughly 155 liters of beer a year! You see, this conference has many things to offer, and I hope you will also find some time to visit parts of this wonderful city.
At this point, I would really like to acknowledge the enthusiasm and work of many of our colleagues from AAZV, IZW and EAZWV that helped to make this conference to become a reality. Not to forget our local host, Prague Zoo which we will visit on Wednesday, our traditional zoo day. If you recognize one of these persons, please give them a smile and a great thank you for their commitment to the welfare, health and conservation of wildlife, all this can not be done without the dedication of all these colleagues. Also your contributions to the scientific program, your critical questions and discussions will make this conference a great learning experience. I am so proud on our zoo and wildlife health community that is dedicated to share their knowledge for the benefit of the welfare of wildlife and conservation.
And guess, how many veterinarians are attending this joint conference? 600 from over 50 nations! This is our first conference which is sold out! I am so proud that you are all here and make this unique conference an unforgettable event. Thank you and please enjoy your days in Prague with your colleagues to share your experiences.
Enjoy!
Hanspeter W. Steinmetz
President, EAZWV