The First Conference on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (I CMAPSEEC), and joint VI Meeting "Days of Medicinal Plants 2000" (VI MDMP) will be held in Aranđelovac, from May 29 till June 3, 2000. I CMAPSEEC will be organised as international scientific and professional meeting, open for all those working in the field of medicinal and aromatic plants and related products. The main topics of the I CMAPSEEC & VI MDMP will be: preservation and sustainable use of biological resources, mapping of the natural recourses of medicinal and aromatic plants, biotechnology, breeding and seed production, cultivation, etnobotany, etnomedicine, phytochemistry, pharmacology and toxicology, industrial processing, quality control and standardisation, and economic aspects of medicinal and aromatic plants of the Southeast European region. On this way, we are inviting our colleagues dealing with the all different aspects of aromatic and medicinal plant investigation, production, processing, use and trade, to participate in it.

Main program of the first CMAPSEEC & VI MDMP will be conducted through keynotes introductory, plenary, and thematic lectures, oral and poster presentations of submitted papers, working and promotional sessions and exhibitions. We are also initiating organisation of the Association of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (AMAPSEEC), as well as a number of additional programs. We are expecting your active participation and contribution, aiming to the comprehensive and high quality work out of the Conference topics.

Promotion of new books monographs and projects. Organiser will support promotion of new books, monographs and projects, dealing with medicinal and aromatic plants, for all those participating in the Conference, on the most appropriate way, during the hours especially determined for these purposes. Only early registered presentations (till May 12), 10-15 minutes long will be allowed free of charge.

Promotion of companies, institutions, and related associations. Organiser will provide promotion of companies, institutions, and related associations involved in the medicinal and aromatic plants problematic, on two ways. As the first, supporting oral and video presentations with promotional contents, during the hours reserved in the hall especially determined for these purposes, and later on by renting exhibition area (under the most convenient conditions), which will be attended by interested exposures through full duration of the Conference. Only early registered presentations (till May 12), 10-15 minutes long will be allowed free of charge.

Workshop: Characterisation of plant isolates and related products. Because of the relatively weak interest for this additional program, workshop is cancelled.

Summaries of introductory and plenary lectures, as well as those of other accepted contributions, will be printed in the Book of Abstracts, which will be distributed to participants during the registration procedure, just before the Conference. Proceedings of the I CMAPSEEC (full papers submitted till May 29) will be published promptly beyond the Conference.

Official language at the First Conference on Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Southeast European Countries (I CMAPSEEC), and joint VI Meeting "Days of Medicinal Plants 2000" (VI MDMP) will be English.

Overhead and slide projectors, as well as the powerful system for support of PC-based video-beam presentation will be available. PC-based presentation should be prepared by the use of Microsoft^® PowerPoint^®97 software.

The host of the I CMAPSEEC will be Aranđelovac, small town only 75 km far from Belgrade. Town is situated in the foot of the mountain Bukulja (696 m) at 270 meters above sea level, and with its about 50.000 inhabitant is of great importance for the Šumadija district. Conference will be organised in hotel Izvor (A category) with the large accommodation capacities and numerous facilities for entertainment, organising large gatherings, etc. For participants coming from abroad, as well as all those starting their trip from Belgrade, round-trip bus transfer Belgrade - Aranđelovac (hotel "Izvor) - Belgrade will be organised separately. During the Conference participants will be in position to take part in a very rich social program.

Organiser predicted accommodation of the all of participants in the hotel Izvor, where the Conference will be held. Although the hotel capacity assumes 414 beds, only a limited number of one-bed rooms, and luxurious apartments will be available. Majority of mentioned capacity is found in two-bed rooms, and participants will accommodate mainly in such rooms. Reservation of room participants could carry out through the Organiser's assistance till the May 12 (recommended), and (after this date) through direct contact with the personnel of hotel Izvor (not recommended). All participants are kindly asked to fill precisely attached registration form and return it to Organiser till the May 12, 2000.

Registration fees for participants are equivalent to 100 DM, while registration fees for accompanied persons are equivalent to 50 DM (in Yugoslav dinars, assuming middle market value of DM determined on the day of payment). For Yugoslav participants Organiser will provide pro forma invoice promptly, after receiving filled Registration form. Because of money transfer problem, participants from abroad will pay registration fees on site, at the registration desk, without any increase in price. Students of regular or postgraduate studies, as well as retired persons, will not be in obligation to pay registration fees. In such case, students must approve their belonging to the certain university.

Organised round-trip bus transfer Belgrade - Aranđelovac (hotel Izvor) - Belgrade, will be available only for those being registered till the May 12, 2000. Buses will start from Belgrade on 29^th May at 11,00 a.m., from the parking zone located in street Tadeuša Košćuška 1, in front of Institute for Medicinal Plant Research. Start in the opposite direction (from hotel Izvor, Aranđelovac to Belgrade) is planed for 3^rd June, at 10,00 a.m. After May 12, all other participants themselves will be redirected to organise their round-trip to Aranđelovac. Payment of bus transfer fees will be accomplished through mentioned pro forma invoice (for domestic participants), or on site (for participants from abroad). Frequency of buses, departing from Belgrade's bus station, on regular line Belgrade - Aranđelovac is about one hour.