INCLUDE-EU

Combating ethnic and racial discrimination through inclusive dialogue

Austria, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Slovenia

INCLUDE-EU – Combating ethnic and racial discrimination through inclusive dialogue aims to combat racism, xenophobia and ethnic discrimination through education, community participation and cooperation on public policy. The project strengthens the capacity of development actors to recognise, prevent and combat ethnic and racial discrimination, whilst promoting a sense of belonging and equality amongst young people and communities.

Implemented in Austria, Portugal, Italy, Spain and Slovenia, INCLUDE-EU establishes best practices and facilitates knowledge-sharing among schools, civil society organisations, local authorities and researchers to create a transnational model of inclusive practices, in line with the EU Action Plan against Racism (2020–2025) and the EU Strategic Framework on Roma (2020–2030), by promoting equal treatment, civic participation and dialogue between citizens and institutions.

OUR OBJETIVES

Across the European Union (EU), discrimination on the grounds of ethnic origin or religion continues to restrict equal access to education, employment and participation in community life. Although the EU Action Plan against Racism (2020–2025) and the EU Strategic Framework on Roma (2020–2030) establish robust policy frameworks, their implementation at local level remains fragmented. The 2023 Eurobarometer on Discrimination reveals that 45 per cent of Europeans believe racism is widespread, but only 10 per cent of victims report incidents, which demonstrates a profound lack of trust in institutions and the weakness of local awareness-raising and response mechanisms.

Country-specific data confirm that national equality policies need to be translated into concrete action at local level.

Gender and intersectional inequalities remain evident. Migrant women in partner countries face overlapping barriers related to ethnicity, gender and socio-economic disadvantages.

To address this situation and in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so that no one is left behind, INCLUDE-EU integrates a gender and intersectionality perspective into all its activities, ensuring that at least half of the participants are women and that Roma and migrant women are given priority in facilitation and leadership roles.

This analysis is based on more than 450 consultations and contacts with stakeholders in the five countries (educational practitioners, civil society organisations, young people, local authorities) and national bodies promoting equality. It confirms that equality and anti-racism policies will only succeed if they translate into inclusive local education, municipal cooperation and sustainable community engagement.

OUR ACTIVITIES

A coordinated set of activities will involve schools, civil society organisations, local authorities, researchers and community workers, through the following approach: understanding – raising awareness – mobilising.

The activities will be implemented through partnership and the creation of synergies between various stakeholders in society and communities across the partner countries, with a focus on the inclusion of the Roma community, migrants and minorities, with the aim of contributing to the recognition and identification of various forms and practices of discrimination, combating prejudice and online hate speech, promote intercultural understanding and co-create practical local measures to advance equality.

OUR IMPACT

INCLUDE-EU will deliver concrete results in the areas of education, digital technology and public policy in the partner countries, based on the understanding that discrimination is not merely a legal or institutional issue, but also an educational and relational one. Combating it requires knowledge, dialogue and cooperation between individuals and institutions. The project thus brings together three levels of intervention — education, civil society and local governance — within an integrated framework, where equality becomes a shared local practice.

The methodology combines participatory learning, co-creation and validation based on concrete data, with each activity encouraging community stakeholders to act as co-creators rather than mere recipients. This approach ensures that the results are embraced as their own at a local level, and are both relevant and sustainable.

By bringing together perspectives on Global Citizenship, INCLUDE-EU creates a European learning ecosystem that demonstrates how diverse contexts can become a shared strength.

NEWS

Duration

  • 24 months: 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028

Co-funded

  • European Union

Partners