European Bitcoin Conference (Prague)
Europe's first major Bitcoin conference is held in Prague, signaling the global expansion of the community.
On November 25, 2011, the first European Bitcoin Conference took place in Prague, Czech Republic. While the NYC conference in August had been a gathering of American libertarians and developers, the Prague event highlighted the robust European developer scene. Speakers included Amir Taaki (founder of Britcoin/Intersango) and Rick Falkvinge (founder of the Swedish Pirate Party). The event focused heavily on privacy, censorship resistance, and the political implications of stateless money.
Prague was a fitting location, given its history of political resistance and its growing community of hackers (Slush Pool was founded by a Czech developer). The conference helped consolidate the European network, leading to the formation of local exchanges and advocacy groups. It demonstrated that Bitcoin was a global phenomenon, not just a Silicon Valley experiment.
This event helped bridge the gap between the UK, German, and Eastern European communities, creating a unified European crypto culture that would later produce major innovations like Trezor and local Bitcoin ATMs.
Key Sources: Bitcoin Wiki: Prague Conference | Bitcointalk: Conference Thread