The whole event was opened by Mr Oldrich Vlasak, the Lord Mayor of Hradec Kralove. He invited people to try information panel with access for the disabled, who cannot work with computers. The City of Hradec Kralove was very successful in entering semi-final of most contests within ISSS 2001. The City is most interested in development and easy access to information technologies so each of 19 elementary schools has access to the Internet. In the end the Lord Mayor added that the Conference was full of lectures so everybody could find what they liked.

Programme Director Mr Frantisek Dohnal appeared there for the first time as a district administrator and mentioned that news could be found mostly in the Elisabeth Hall including Internet laboratory. Everybody could try projects relating to the administration on the spot. Bigger emphasis was put on the discussion -- there were more round tables and panel discussions to join and to introduce the projects. The programme of the Conference went on in five halls at the same time.

Mr Karel Brezina welcomed the participants and reminded that he had been in the office just a year and two days -- he was appointed just on the first day of last conference. This year he was present throughout the whole conference.

Ambassador of the European Union Mr Ramiro Cibrian gave information about new initiative e-Europe in perfect Czech speech. The initiative should become the leading department of education and the Internet in ten years. It aims at education in the field of new technologies. Many changes are expected in the Czech Republic -- passing the law on state service and state administration decentralisation as conditions of joining the European Union. The Internet is vital to people outside big cities as well as to cooperation between the citizens and the state offices.

Lord Paul Hanningfield from the Committee of Regions of the European Union spoke about his own experience with IT in real life in Great Britain.

Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla spoke about utilisation of IT within the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. He said that the Internet was the main sign of our civilisation and the Czech Republic was thought to be on the top in this area, for example use of electronic signature (together with other ten countries in the world). He continued that computer literacy should be accessible for all not only for young people. "We have one of the biggest database about social area and pension system in Europe", he said. The Ministry wants to put in life social security code to identify a person -- but without any personal information. The code is being slowly introduced, but the way to use it generally would be long. The Ministry is going to support electronic signature, some pilot projects has been launched. In 2001 we will be ready to use electronic applications equal to paper ones. The computer literacy is rising. The database and information system about free jobs is being created -- available also by the means of the Internet. The Ministry is going to transmit all paper cards to computer form.

Minister Karel Brezina made a speech about state information policy. First he described current situation in the area and particular measures. Last year The Act on Electronic Signature was passed -- and some regulatory measures and rules are expected now. Information policy is aimed at e-government, accessibility of the data and other issues equal for all the people. This year 855 million have been assured to invest to IT within state administration. The main task for the minister is to ensure computers for District Offices and to accelerate the Action plan. It is possible now in the Czech Republic to develop electronic economy and to push it to building of modern information society. The government is going to attract foreign investors in the area of modern technologies and services -- first completed project is Call Centre of IBM in Brno. During consequent press conference he introduced a new project on the Internet -- land register. It is paid service, but the fees should not exceed the current price (not more than 50 Crowns).

At the end of the opening Mr Jiri Krump, recently appointed chairman of the Office for Public Information Systems, came out with his speech.