Europe's wilderness is in spotlight at the conference held in Prague on 27-28 May, 2009. The Conference on Wilderness and Large Natural Habitat Areas will be the first event to provide a platform for politicians, academics, environmentalists and other interested groups to discuss the protection and restoration of wilderness in Europe. The Conference was officially launched jointly by the Czech Environment Minister and the EU Environment Council President-in-office Ladislav Miko, former Czech President Václav Havel, director of the Wild Europe Iniciative Toby Aykroyd, Michael Hammel from the European Commission and Luc Gnacadja, UN Convention to Combat Desertification Executive Secretary.