Welcome Letter 

Dear colleagues and friends,

We here are highly honoured that the FEBS Council decided that Prague would host the 34th FEBS Congress in 2009.

For me personally, to be involved in preparations of this Congress is professionally and even personally rewarding since the first Congress I actively participated in was FEBS meeting in Prague in 1968. That was at the beginning of my scientific career, and now, FEBS will meet in Prague again, this time near the end of my scientific career. What progress has been made in science in general and in biochemistry and molecular biology in particular during these 41 years! And for us Czechs, political changes during this period of time were of extreme importance with high hopes in 1968, followed by ill-fated times after the foreign occupation of Czechoslovakia, and the final political transformation in 1989 that made us an equal partner with other democratic nations of the world.

The 34th FEBS Congress will take place in the Prague Congress Centre that offers superb meeting facilities. It is easily accessible by subway from virtually all of Prague‘s hotels that offer luxurious as well as price-friendly accommodations. Prague itself has a lot to offer culturally: music, architecture, theaters, galleries, museums. Its historical centre is one of the best preserved medieval towns in the world. So, there are many good reasons for you to come to Prague, to meet colleagues from many parts of the world and to delight in science. In addition, the Czech Republic offers countless scenic and picturesque places outside of Prague, not to mention many beautiful old castles.

We shall do and are doing our best to make your stay in Prague memorable. Please accept my warmest invitation!