"I-PLAY: Internet access for Participation, Learning and Active Youth" was a 24 months initiative, designed by 9 partners from 7 EU (IT, PT, FR, BE, RO, LT, HE) and 1 neighbor (AL) Country, with the aim to establish a Network of Organizations and Towns, to give voice to rural and peripheral territories and digitally excluded citizens (migrants, refugees, disabled,…), by facilitating debates on the need of equal access to the Internet and on its future in EU. The global health emergency caused by COVID-19 has forced EU citizens to digitally re-think their way of life, working, studying, learning, communicating, and participating. But, how is possible to move so quickly toward a digital-based society, to talk about civic and democratic participation, and to contribute to the Union policy-making process, without guaranteeing EQUAL ACCESS to the internet for all? What are the EU initiatives and programs for this purpose and how could everyone contribute to a more digitally inclusive society? With its structured Workplan (6 International Events, 24 Local Debates, and 8 Local Dissemination Meetings in 8 Countries), the project impacted more than 500 direct and 62000 indirect participants.

The 16 Young Players contributed to local research on good practices that were shared (collected in the E-Book "I-PLAY Inclusive Practices" ) and also acted as digital facilitators and multipliers, by stimulating debates on the future of digital inclusion in the EU by collecting ideas and proposals on e-Citizenship, Digital Solidarity, Distance Learning, Remote Working, Digital Communication (collected in the Recommendations "I-PLAY for the Future of Europe: how to foster digital inclusion").

The Recommendations, as a result of this long-lasting participatory bottom-up approach were addressed to the relevant policy-makers, thanks to some partner organizations with their consultative status at the EU Parliament and thanks to the Eurodesk Network which will support the dissemination campaign.