Please see below for the main international ICT-related initiatives that are currently promoting an inclusive Information Society. To view a selection of inititiatives in the area featuring ECDL Foundation involvement, click here.
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e-Inclusion Awards 2012
The European Commission established the e-Inclusion Awards to raise awareness, encourage participation and recognise excellence and good practice in using ICT and digital technology to tackle social and digital exclusion across Europe. Visit e-Inclusion awards wesite.
Please also see our news story on the inspirational visually impaired Czech national who is a finalist in the 'I am part of IT award'.
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European Year of Active Ageing (2012)
The European Commission has designated 2012 as the 'European Year of Active Ageing', an initiative that intends to enhance the quality of life of people as they age, and to ensure their continued participation in the labour force. ICT skills will play a central role in ensuring that older people can continue to participate fully in both the working and social arenas.
Click here to read the ECDL Foundation press release on the role of ICT skills in active ageing.
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Digital Agenda for Europe
The Digital Agenda for Europe (DAE) is the European Commission's strategy to promote economic recovery and improve social inclusion through a more digitally proficient Europe. The DAE is one of seven Europe 2020 initiatives for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.
Read more on the Digital Agenda for Europe.
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Digital Agenda Assembly (June 2011)
The Digital Agenda Assembly (DAA) was the first in a series of annual conferences held in support of the objectives of the Agenda. In recognition of its support of the DAE, ECDL Foundation's CEO was invited to address the conference, and presented at the session on Digital Literacy and e-Inclusion.
Click here for ECDL Foundation's news story on the Digital Agenda Assembly.
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 Digital Agenda Scoreboard (May 2011)
One year since the launch of the DAE, the European Commission published the Digital Agenda Scoreboard to chart the progress of the DAE's goals.
Click here to learn more about the Digital Agenda Scoreboard.
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European Commission’s eGovernment Action Plan (2011-2015)
According to the European Commission, “The Action Plan aims at maximising the complementarities of national and European policy instruments. Its actions support the transition of eGovernment into a new generation of open, flexible and collaborative seamless eGovernment services at local, regional, national and European level that will empower citizens and businesses”. However, ECDL Foundation believes that if Europeans do not possess the required skills to access these services, investment made to improve their availability – both at Member State and EU level – will not be maximised.
Read the ECDL Foundation news story on the eGovernment Action Plan.
Read more on the eGovernment Action Plan 2011.
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World Telecommunication Information Society Day (WTISD)
The purpose of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD) is to help raise awareness of the possibilities that the use of the Internet and other information and communication technologies (ICT) can bring to societies and economies. It is an initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and is celebrated each year on 17 May. The theme of the 2011 WTISD is “Better Life in Rural Communities with ICTs”.
Click here to read the ECDL Foundation WTISD 2011 press release, highlighting the benefits that ICT brings to rural areas.
Click here to read the ECDL Foundation blog post on the same topic.
Click here to learn more about the WTISD.
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e-Inclusion
e-Inclusion refers to activities geared towards the achievement of an inclusive information society, in which the benefits of ICT are available to all regardless of individual or social disadvantages. As a pillar of the European i2010 strategy, e-Inclusion is also necessary on economic grounds, as full participation in the information society is needed for productivity growth and for the creation of new jobs and services. Although the i2010 strategy has been replaced (by the Europe 2020 strategy), the initiative’s aims of: improving the rates of digital literacy, accelerating the participation of groups at risk of exclusion (e.g. older people, people with disabilities, and cultural minorities) in the Information Society, and ensuring that mainstream national e-Inclusion policies are sustainable and will be embedded in all future EU ICT initiatives will be continued. These aims are strongly supported by ECDL Foundation.
Read about the EU “e-inclusion – Be Part of it!” campaign.
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