Held on 7 November 2025 in Brussels (Belgium), the Inclusive Digital Europe Conference brought together policymakers, educators, innovators, and civil society representatives to discuss how to build an inclusive and human-centred digital transformation across Europe.
Organised in the framework of the Our Digital Village project, co-funded by Erasmus+, the event focused on strengthening digital education and innovation in rural and small communities.
Bridging education, innovation, and inclusion
Opening remarks were followed by a keynote session featuring MEP Brando Benifei, Co-Rapporteur of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act, and Csaba Borboly, Member of the Committee of the Regions and Rapporteur on the European Skills Agenda. Their contributions set the tone for a day dedicated to exploring how digital transformation can serve as a tool for empowerment, equity, and local development.
A key highlight of the conference was the panel “What’s Next for Digital Skills in Rural Europe?”, featuring:
- Milena Nahapetyan, Council of Europe
- Anja Fortuna, European Rural Parliament
- Leonie Bultynck, European Commission (DG EAC)
- Denys Tkachov, University of Limoges
Speakers reflected on the need to ensure equal digital opportunities for all, especially in remote areas, by investing in education, skills, and local capacity.
“Building a Digital Village” showcased practical experiences from CSC Danilo Dolci ETS and the University of Alicante, while Christos Bousoulas (European Schoolnet) presented innovative models for Smart Schooling and Networking.
In the interactive roundtables that followed, participants explored four key areas:
- Digital Skills for Education & Training – led by Pierangelo Di Benedetto, FabLab Palermo
- Rural Innovation & Community Empowerment – led by Hendrik Nahr, Make.org
- Bridging Urban–Rural Divides – led by Denys Tkachov, University of Limoges
- Future Visions of a Digital Europe – led by Eszter Hartay, European Center for Not-for-Profit Law
These sessions promoted lively exchanges on the role of civic tech, community-driven education, and inclusive digital policy-making.
A collaborative path forward
The afternoon focused on ALDA members and partners, sharing how digitalisation is shaping local governance, inclusion, and participation.
Highlights included examples from:
- Marmara Municipalities Union (Türkiye) – using open data, smart city tools, and training programmes to strengthen local democracy.
- University of Alicante (Spain) – exploring how social robotics can support digital skills and wellbeing for elderly people.
- CSC Danilo Dolci (Italy) – empowering schools and communities through digital competence training and local networks.
A brief expert exchange with ALL DIGITAL and the University of Limoges raised two key ideas:
- Europe must shift from constantly inventing new projects to scaling up what already works.
- Artificial Intelligence can enhance inclusion and transparency — but only if trust, accessibility, and ethics remain at the centre.
The day closed with a short members’ strategy discussion on the Digital & Innovation Hub’s 2026 priorities, focusing on AI literacy, local digital governance, and member-to-member collaboration.
