Post by Simone Vannuccini

Ok, I never visited Palermo, Sicily before in my life. So when my colleague Pier Francesco Asso - one of the most erudite economists you will ever meet, and a #florentine at heart & in spirit as #yourstruly - invited me to give a couple of lectures at International Relations - Unipa on #AI, #industrial #policy and #geopolitics, I jumped right on the opportunity. I only knew Benigni's "Johnny Stecchino" maxim: "in Palermo, traffic is the problem!" (who gets it, gets it). After a rescheduled flight that shortened my stay, I can confidently say: one of the all-time most captivating experiences! Besides the pleasure of teaching my favourite topic to a bunch of very dynamic and engaged students (take this, chatgpt harassing education!), I discovered an incredible place: super good food, a beautiful but scarred city (pre-war Palermo was one of the European capitals of Art Nouveau, or as we call it in Italy, Liberty style), plenty of fascinating and saddening contradictions that at least tickle your mind and push you to action against all types of injustice, and lovely and talented new colleagues met (luca puddu Edoardo Baldaro, that witnessed me filling my mouth&stomach with deconstructed cannolis and other scrumptious food delicacies). So, here's a symbolic (non-representative) selection of photos. Thank you Palermo! See you next time :) GREDEG-CNRS, Université Côte d'Azur Université Côte d'Azur CNRS Côte d'Azur