Lecture by Sotiris Tsoukarelis entitled Decentralization, Commons, and the Social & Solidarity Economy: A Cosmoregional Model of Development for Mountain Regions
Thursday 7/5, 10.00, Loft

Sotiris Tsoukarelis is a founding member and Head of Social Innovation at the Social Cooperative Enterprise Ta Psila Vouna (“The High Mountains”).He studied Political Science at the University of Crete, specializing in political philosophy and local development. He also attended the Metsovion Interdisciplinary Research Center of the National Technical University of Athens, focusing on Environment and Development in Mountain Regions. Since then, he has considered himself an activist for mountain areas, decentralization, and the agri-food sector.  He actively participates in environmental movements defending his local region and promotes alternative models of production and living based on cooperation, the development of local communities, and their connection to global networks.He is also an active farmer, cultivating vegetables at an altitude of 1,000 meters on his model farm in Demati, Zagori. In addition, he has trained at the American Farm School in the fields of Tourism Experience Design, Marketing, Alternative Tourism, and Agritourism. He is also a dairy farmer and cheesemaker, and a graduate of the Dairy School of Ioannina.Sotiris serves as President of the Epirus Union of Social and Solidarity Economy Organizations, “Koino K.A.L.O.,” and as Vice President for Ecosystem Development of the Panhellenic Confederation of Social and Solidarity Economy Associations, “PA.SE KAL.O.” Since January 2024, he has been an advisor to the Mayor of Ioannina on matters related to the social economy and serves as CEO of the Municipal Real Estate Development Company of Ioannina (DIANETAI).