As technology continues to change and evolve, it’s more important to think about who has access to digital spaces and how those spaces are being used. Digital spaces have the power to bring up many voices, allow people from different cultures to understand one another and create social unity. However, digital spaces also have the power to "push people out," create divisions and spread harmful content.
This is precisely why Include Me+ was created. We brought together eight partner organisations working across different fields, all united to promote inclusion, civic participation, and peacebuilding through mediation in digital media.
So we decided to listen. Every day, millions of people scroll, post, and react — yet very few are ever truly asked: what does digital media mean to you? We went out and listened. To students, to community members, to everyday citizens — people who use digital spaces not as experts but as human beings trying to connect, express, and belong. We recorded their stories, their frustrations, and their hopes.We would like not to produce statistics but to give these voices the reach they deserve — so that media organisations and educators can hear directly from the people they are supposed to serve. Because real change starts not with policy papers, but with a person looking into a camera and saying: this is what I need.
Listening to Real Voices
For the people we spoke with, digital inclusion means more than having an internet connection. It means being able to show up online as yourself — without being judged, silenced, or pushed aside because of your language, your beliefs, your gender or your background. If anyone, regardless of who they are or where they come from can make themselves visible and heard online — that is what inclusion looks like in practice.
One of the major takeaways from these discussions is that there is a real belief in the possibilities for using digital media as a tool for peace when used well. The individuals who participated in the conversations pointed out how digital platforms can connect individuals from different cultures and geographic locations and allow them to reduce bias by exposing them to different viewpoints on issues.In other words, they could enable people to work together during times of crisis.
As the project continues to collect stories from partner countries, the narratives will form the foundation of an educational docuseries designed for use in higher education institutions, civil society organisations and broader public engagement. The aim is not only to document the current state of digital media but also to inspire digital culture for inclusion and participation more. We believe that the conversations extend beyond academia and policy circles and reaches the students, citizens and community members who navigate digital media every day. The stories collected across Europe are a testament to that commitment and a powerful reminder that meaningful change begins with listening.
We will continue sharing the views of our participants on our website — because every voice deserves to be heard.
