ReCoCreaYOUTH meets for the last time this week - starting in Nykarleby. And in a boiler room, no less; very apt since we’re boiling down the project experiences to conclusions and pointers forward. Thanks to @nykarlebystad for this day, that continues in Kuddnäs for a taste of history and Pepparkakshuset for dinner and socializing.
Tomorrow we reconvene in Vasa - stay tuned!
/Kimmo
#erasmusplus #recocreayouth #cocreation #participation #democraticinnovation
🌐 Would you like to leverage #digitalmedia as a tool for #inclusion, participation and #peacebuilding?
The "Digital Media for Inclusive Peacebuilding Course" of the @includememedia project will provide you with the skills you need! How? With:
📊 Interactive case studies and multimedia: Analyses of citizen media campaigns and digital initiatives from across Europe.
⚙️ Practical tools and templates: Campaign planners, storytelling frameworks, and facilitation guides for immediate application.
💭 Reflective exercises: Structured prompts to encourage #criticalthinking and collaborative problem-solving.
📑 Academic resources: Access to research papers, toolkits, and analytical guides to deepen understanding.
🤳 Skill development: Emphasis on media ethics, digital #activism, cross-cultural storytelling, and governance design.
Easy-peasy! Start your training➡️ includememedia.eu
Igår hölls en samskapande workshop i Malax inom projektet AI och lokaldemokrati. Stort tack till alla deltagare för givande brainstorming och intressanta förslag till AI-lösningar som kan göra kommunal information mer lättillgänglig 🙌💯. Och tack till @artfactorymalakta för att vi fick använda era finfina lokaler!
🌐 Media can divide us or connect us. The choice is yours.
📲 What if we all became architects of a better digital world?
The @includememedia project invites you to the launch of the «Digital Media for Inclusive #Peacebuilding Course», an online and self-paced course designed to strengthen your skills as an effective, responsible and inclusive digital communicator, who combats #misinformation and #fakenews.
📅 Thursday, February 19, 2026
🕚 11:00 - 12:00 CET
💻 Online
✍️ Registration https://buff.ly/T9BtTh6 (🔗 link in bio)
👥 The course is aimed at #educators, #media professionals, students, civil society organisations and everyone. Let’s build inclusive digital spaces together!✨
Discover the course here➡️ https://includememedia.eu/digital-media-for-inclusive-peacebuilding-course/
Är du intresserad av att diskutera hur AI kan användas för att göra kommunal information mer tillgänglig och begriplig? Vilken demokratisk potential kan AI ha i ett lokalt sammanhang?
I så fall är du varmt välkommen med på en samskapande workshop som ordnas av forskare från Åbo Akademi den 18.2 vid Malakta i Malax (ca kl. 18–21).
Som deltagare får du ett presentkort på 25 euro. Antalet platser är begränsat, så anmäl ditt intresse genom att fylla i dina kontaktuppgifter här: /s/aiochlokaldemokrati
Har du frågor kan du kontakta:
Janne Berg ([email protected], 046 921 6576) eller Jenny Lindholm ([email protected], 050 358 19 46)
***
Oletko kiinnostunut keskustelemaan siitä, miten tekoälyä voidaan käyttää kunnallisen tiedon tekemiseen saavutettavammaksi ja helpommin ymmärrettäväksi? Millainen demokraattinen potentiaali tekoälyllä voi olla paikallisessa kontekstissa?
Siinä tapauksessa olet lämpimästi tervetullut osallistumaan yhteiskehittävään työpajaan, jonka Åbo Akademin tutkijat järjestävät 18.2. Malaktassa Maalahdessa (noin klo 18–21).
Osallistujat saavat 25 euron lahjakortin. Paikkoja on rajoitetusti, joten ilmoita kiinnostuksesi täyttämällä yhteystietosi tähän: /s/aiochlokaldemokrati
Jos sinulla on kysyttävää, voit ottaa yhteyttä:
Janne Berg ([email protected], 046 921 6576) tai Jenny Lindholm ([email protected], 050 358 19 46)
⛔ What is the situation of #hatespeech on #socialnetworks in Spain?
📖 The Spanish Observatory of Racism and Xenophobia (#OBERAXE) of @inclusiongob has published the 'Annual Report on Monitoring Hate Speech on Social Networks', which in the 2024 edition warns that #publicsafety continues to be the prototypical episode most linked to hate speech, especially towards North Africans and unaccompanied children and adolescents.
⚠️ This narrative, which associates #immigration with crime, has been fuelled by disinformation, hoaxes and manipulated news, most of which do not correspond to real or recent events, and which in 40% of cases consist of false or decontextualized content.
🚷 The constant appeal to collective fear, underpinned by stereotypes of dangerousness, facilitates the justification of repressive measures such as deportation or border closures, undermining democratic principles and fundamental human rights.
📣 Would you like to collaborate in coexistence, inclusion and peace in digital environments? Check out @includememedia ’s resources!👉 https://includememedia.eu/
🤖 AI i lokaldemokratins tjänst – nu får ni äntligen en första titt bakom kulisserna! 🤭
Hur kan AI göra kommunal information mer begriplig, öppen och tillgänglig för alla?
Det är exakt det här projektet utforskar. 🤓
🎯 Målet:
Att utveckla AI-verktyg som gör kommunala mötesprotokoll sökbara och lätta att förstå för:
➡️ medborgare
➡️ tjänstemän
➡️ förtroendevalda
Projektet drivs av forskare vid Informationsteknologi, Statskunskap med medier och kommunikation samt Experience Lab vid Åbo Akademi – i samarbete med Novia och kommuner i Svenskfinland. 🏫🤝
Finansierat av Högskolestiftelsen i Österbotten, Aktiastiftelsen i Vasa och Harry Schaumans Stiftelse✨
📸 Bild 1: Andreas Lundell, David Ena, Janne Berg, Jenny Lindholm & Yvonne Backholm-Nyberg – delar av forskningsteamet.
🖥️ Bild 2: En AI-genererad bild som visar projektets idé.
🎓 Bild 3: Magisterstudenten David Ena berättar om sitt arbete:
”Jag har vidareutvecklat en democracy chatbot som kan hämta information ur kommunala protokoll och svara på frågor om dem. Jag har uppdaterat systemet och testat nya metoder och AI-modeller. Utvecklingen går snabbt – det som var nytt i fjol är redan gammalt idag – så det finns mycket att utforska. Jag är väldigt intresserad av AI och ser fram emot vart det här leder💡
🌍 Metacity finale in Portugal!
We wrapped up the @urbact.eu Metacity project in Fundão with all European partners and our friends from @nykarlebystad and @nykarlebyinnovationcenter
Fundão’s mayor tested our digital twin of Nykarleby’s market square – and said it was amazing! 🤩
Metacity shows how small cities can use VR and digital tools for the future – and create new ways to engage citizens. For Experience Lab, this was a key part of our R&D on human-technology interaction and citizen engagement.
#Metacity #SmartCities #VR #DigitalTwin #Innovation #CitizenEngagement #HumanTechInteraction
🇸🇪 Experience Lab på European Week of Regions and Cities!
Under årets #EURegionsWeek deltog vi med projektet Metacity (URBACT) – ett initiativ som utforskar hur digitala verktyg kan användas i stadsutveckling för att främja delaktighet, innovation och nya arbetssätt.
Vi presenterade vår testaktivitet tillsammans med Nykarleby stad, där invånare fick designa sin egen version av torget i VR. Det blev ett tydligt exempel på hur visualisering kan göra stadsutveckling mer inkluderande, engagerande och lättare att förstå.
🔹 Vårt stand väckte stort intresse – många ville veta mer om hur vi arbetar med digital delaktighet och medborgarengagemang i praktiken.
Tack till alla som deltog och bidrog med insikter och inspiration!
#Metacity #URBACT #ExperienceLab #Nykarleby #CitizenEngagement #DigitalInclusion #SmartCities #Visualisering #EURegionsWeek
🇬🇧 Experience Lab at the European Week of Regions and Cities!
At this year’s #EURegionsWeek, we participated with the project Metacity (URBACT) – an initiative exploring how digital tools can be used in urban development to foster participation, innovation, and new ways of working.
We showcased our testing activity together with the City of Nykarleby, where citizens designed their own version of the town square using VR. It was a clear example of how visualisation can make urban development more inclusive, engaging, and easier to understand.
🔹 Our stand attracted great interest – many were eager to learn more about how we work with digital inclusion and citizen engagement in practice.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and shared insights and inspiration!
#Metacity #URBACT #ExperienceLab #Nykarleby #CitizenEngagement #DigitalInclusion #SmartCities #Visualisation #EURegionsWeek
Imorgon är det Kulturnatten i @nykarlebystad
Om du har vägarna förbi får du gärna titta in i vårt tält och bygga din version av Nykarleby torg - virtuellt. Det gör vi inom ramen för projektet @urbact.eu Metacity där vi vill testa hur man kan göra stadsplaneringen mer tillgänglig med digitala lösningar.
Välkommen!
👩💻 The INCLUDE ME+ (@includememedia ) project has released its comprehensive ‘Mediation in Media’ study—an in-depth exploration of how #digitalmedia can integrate non-formal #mediation processes to support #inclusion #participation and #peacebuilding across Europe.
🔗 Link in bio 📲 https://includememedia.eu/resources/mediation-in-media-participatory-action-research/
🙋♀️ Who is this resource for?
✅ Digital content creators and media professionals
✅️ Researchers, educators and academics in media, tech, and social sciences
✅ Policymakers and digital inclusion advocates
✅️ Civil society organisations and community leaders
✅ Anyone curious about creating more inclusive, ethical digital spaces
🙋♂️ What will you gain from the study?
By engaging with this material, readers will:
☑️ Gain a clear framework for understanding the challenges and opportunities facing inclusive digital media today
☑️ Learn from real-life community voices and participatory insight
☑️ Discover new ideas for inclusive content creation and mediation
☑️ Explore educational approaches to support digital citizenship and peacebuilding
☑️ Be inspired to adopt more inclusive and ethical strategies in their digital or professional work
📚 The findings from this research will directly inform the upcoming INCLUDE ME+ educational programme, which will equip European media professionals, HEI educators, students, and CSOs with the tools and strategies to create responsible, inclusive, and participatory media.
👩💻 The ‘Mediation in Media’ study, released by the INCLUDE ME+ (@includememedia ) project, comprises two essential resources:
1️⃣ DESK RESEARCH
A collection of eight in-depth studies carried out by project partners across #Europe – including Denmark, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.
This report examines the role of #digitalmedia as a mediating force for #inclusion, with a focus on challenges, opportunities, and recommendations for building respectful and peaceful online environments.
2️⃣ PARTICIPATORY ACTION RESEARCH (PAR)
This report reflects a collaborative research process involving community voices across Europe.
By working with participants—students, civil society organizations, digital media creators, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and experts—it gathers insights into how people experience digital conflict, exclusion, and engagement. It includes findings on digital media’s role in #peacebuilding and #mediation.
👁️🗨️ Together, these reports provide vital insights into how digital platforms can serve as spaces of visibility, safety, and voice for marginalized communities.
💻 Don’t miss them!
🔗 Link in bio 📲 https://includememedia.eu/resources/mediation-in-media-participatory-action-research/
