WACRA 2005 Brno, Czech Republic July 3 - 6, 2005

Capital Conference site

Where we are

Czech Republic - history rich, complicated, and ancient 4 th century B.C. – Celts End of the 5 th and beginning of the 6 th century - arrival of Slavs First unified „state“ - 7 th century – Frankish merchant Samo (Greater Moravian Empire) the peak in the prestige and power of the kingdom of Bohemia during the reign of Charles IV

Beginning of the 15th century – crisis of state, Hussite movement the Habsburg dynasty – formation of a multi-national empire 1620 – defeat of Bohemian Estates (Battle of White Mountain), continued centralization 28 th October, 1918 – foundation of an independent state of Czechs and Slovaks March 1939 – May 1945 – German occupation February 1948 – Communist takeover Czech Republic - history

August 1968 – Soviet-led invasion by Warsaw Pact countries brings an end to the "Prague Spring" and an attempt to build "Socialism with a human face"

Czech Republic - history November fall of the Communist regime Czech Republic founded after the split of Czechoslovakia

Czech Republic - geography landlocked; strategically located astride some of oldest and most significant land routes in Europe; (traditional military corridor between the North European Plain and the Danube) Area - 78,866 sq km (slightly smaller than South Carolina) Elevation extremes: –lowest point: Elbe River 115 m highest point: Snezka 1,602 m (5 254 ft) Land use: –arable land: 40% permanent crops: 3.04% other: 56.96% (1998 est.)

Czech Republic - climate Weather: continental influences marked by large fluctuations in both temperature and precipitation, –The mean annual temperature 45º F (7º C) to 48º F (9º C). –High temperatures (July) can reach 91º F (33ºC), –Low temperatures (February) may drop to 1º F (-17º C).

Czech Republic - people Population: 10,249,216 Median age: 38.4 years Life expectancy: years Population growth rate: % Ethnic groups: Czech (Bohemian) 81.2%, Moravian 13.2%

Bohemians Moravians

Czech Republic - government Capital: Prague Government type: parliamentary democracy Suffrage: 18 years of age, universal chief of state: President Vaclav KLAUS (since March 2003) note: the Czech Republic's first president Vaclav HAVEL stepped down from office in February 2003 having served 10 years; cabinet: coalition of Social democrats, Cristian democrats and Liberty union

Czech Republic - economy GDP per capita: $ 15,500 –agriculture: 3.8% industry: 41% services: 55.2% Inflation rate: 0.6% Unemployment: 10 % Currency: CZK (Czech koruna) Exchange rate: USD 1.00 = CZK 26.00

Famous Czechs – sportsmen Ice-hockey Jaromir JagrDominik Hasek

Famous Czechs – sportsmen Tennis Martina NavratilovaIvan Lendl

Famous Czechs – sportsmen Athletics Emil Zatopek

Famous Czechs – sportsmen Gymnastics Vera Caslavska

Famous Czechs – Nobel Prize Jaroslav Heyrovsky – polarography (chemistry) Jaroslav Seifert – poet (literature)

Famous Czechs – writers Milan Kundera (Unbearable lightness of being, The joke) Fanz Kafka (The Trial, The Castle)

Famous Czechs – composers Bedrich Smetana (My fatherland) Antonin Dvorak (Slavonic dances, From the New World)

Brno 400,000 inhabitants 6 universities, almost 40,000 students Two dominants: –Gothic castle from the 13th century - Spilberk –St. Peter and Paul’s Cathedral built in the 14th century (Petrov Hill)

Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul

Spilberk Castle

Mendel Universiy founded in 1919 Faculties: –Agriculture (*1950); –Forestry and Wood Technology (*1950); –Horticulture (*1985); –Business and Economics (*1959). Faculty of Business and Economics: –Currently 88 teachers and 2150 students –Three-level education (Bc., MSc., PhD) –3 study programmes: Management and Economics, Economic policy and public administration, System engineering and informatics.

Conference places Lednice

Conference places Austerlitz Olomouc

Tour Moravian karst (caves)

Telc Namest nad Oslavou UNESCO heritage sites

Hluboka Karlstejn

PRAGUE

Brno – ideal site for WACRA