This year's Tropentag is expecting a considerable turnout of over 825 registered participants representing around 80 countries. Organisation for such a conference is no easy task, says Bärbel Sagi, Tropenzetrum employee and Tropentag coordinator. Preperations began over half a year ago... (read more) "This year we are facing specific problems because we have to cope with the security regulations concerning fire protection." Previous years, such regulations were not as strict, Mrs. Sagi continued to explain, "If you look around you, this foyer - it is empty - people cannot put posters here." The planning of the conference has been effected by these new regulations. Despite the challenges, the conference has taken on new partner universities as it grows in popularity and demand, she says. Next year, the Tropentag conference will for the first time be held in Prague under the coordination of the Czech University of Life Sciences. This also makes it the biggest conference of tropical agricultural development in Europe. What started out as a small group of coordinating members has now grown into a large group of professors, coordinators, student helpers and employees who come together to make the conference possible. "I enjoy it very much because all of them are very eager to get the [conference] prepared well," exclaimed Mrs. Sagi.