International Scientific Conference

My name is Mihai Daroczi and I am a PhD student at "Babes-Bolyai" University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. I just got accepted to the "4th International Scientific Conference Geobalcanica" that will take place between 15-16 May 2018 in Macedonia. Unfortunately I don't have the necessary funds in order to pay the Conference Fee, transportation and acommodation in Macedonia. I have tried to obtain funding from my University but the romanian education system is very underfunded and I was told that I can't receive any funding. This Conference is vital for me in order to meet the minimum requirements to present my PhD thesis this Autumn. If I can't go to this Conference, all the work that I have done in the past 3 years would have been in vain. Also, this Conference is a great opportunity for me to meet the best spatial planners and geographers from Europe, and to go back home with the necessary know-how in order to help my community.

My PhD thesis is called: "The role of small-sized towns in territorial cohesion". As defined by the EU, "territorial cohesion is all about ensuring that people are able to make the most of the inherent features of the areas in which they live. No European citizen should be disadvantaged in terms of access to public services, housing, or employment opportunities simply by living in one region rather than another. Territorial cohesion aims for more balanced and sustainable development". In order to obtain territorial cohesion, small-sized towns have a great impact.

So why are these towns important in developing countries? In Northern America and Western Europe the villages and small-sized towns resembles a lot with the big cities: they have electricity in 100% of houses, gas connection, hospitals, high-schools, internet, tv-cable, theaters, cinemas, supermarkets and other facilities. In Romania the rural space is underdeveloped, so these small-sized towns are a bridge between the larger cities (with all the necessary facilities) and the rural space (most of it without schools, pharmacies, markets, internet, gas connection, etc.). So if we would study the small-sized towns in developed countries we would not find a lot of information, but these towns are very important in Romania due to their influence. Some of these towns have the only hospital or high-school from a distance of more than 100 kilometres in any direction.

By participating at this International Conference I will be able to learn new solutions to old problems and I can also be a voice for all the underdeveloped communities from Romania. I really appreciate you taking the time to read my story and will be very grateful for every donation made toward my further education. As Nelson Mandela once said, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world".