The VeSBUD research team recently attended the 2024 RSA Annual Conference held in Florence, Italy, from June 11-14, 2024. This year’s conference focused on “Global Challenges, Regional Collaboration, and the Role of Places.” The team contributed to the event with three insightful panel presentations showcasing their ongoing research in Thessaloniki and Corfu.

Athanasios Kalogeresis presented “Escaping the Belly of the Beast: Micro and Small Firms as Agents of Change in the Tourist-Dominated Economy of Corfu Town.” Elli Papastergiou explored “Subjective Well-Being in the Neighborhood: The Role of MSEs in Thessaloniki.” Lastly, Sofia Skordili discussed “The Actual and Potential Impact of Thessaloniki’s New Gastronomic Scene on Urban Development.”

These presentations highlighted the critical role of micro and small enterprises in urban development and the role they can play in the neighborhood, offering valuable perspectives on economic and social transformations.