PRAGUE, June 26 (Xinhua) -- The five-day conference on the fate of the property belonging to Holocaust victims during the World War II started here on Friday.

    It is a contribution to the struggle with anti-Semitism in Europe, and also a contribution to the return of the Jew's property which were deprived during World War II, Czech European Affairs Minister Stefan Fuele told journalists before the meeting.

    The Czech government stages the conference as the final event of the Czech EU presidency which expires at the end of June.

    On Monday the Czech presidency and the European Commission will sign a joint statement on the Holocaust in order to support education, social care for Holocaust victims and care for its commemorative sites in EU countries.

    The Terezin declaration will be proclaimed at the end of the conference. A Ha-Shoah Legacy Institute is to be created in Terezin, North Bohemia.

    The conference is accompanied by a number of cultural events such as the Ha-Shoah Legacy film festival, drama and exhibition in Prague.

    The Czech Culture Ministry and the Moravian Land Museum have launched the web page www.restitution-art.cz with the display of over 3,000 works of art from state collections in Czech Republic which may belong to Holocaust victims.

    This is the last chance that can underline the tremendous urgency with which the matters should be settled as it will be too late, Stuart Eizenstat, head of the U.S. delegation and former President Bill Clinton's deputy secretary of the treasury said.

    Thanks to the conference, many galleries and auction rooms pay more attention to the origin of the offered objects, many of which have been returned to the original owners, he added.