The EcoPlay project aims to develop an innovative AI-driven serious game designed for students, with the dual objective of promoting pro-environmental behaviours and addressing aggressive attitudes in school settings. Fully aligned with European environmental priorities, the project focuses on fostering key soft skills such as empathy, emotional intelligence, and responsible decision-making. In parallel, students are actively involved in creating an awareness campaign, #takeaction!, focused on animal welfare and environmental respect, with the goal of encouraging positive behavioural change among young people and the wider community. Both the game and the campaign will be developed as open-source tools and rigorously tested to ensure their effectiveness and transferability.
The project is structured around three main activities. First, the development of an engaging and interactive virtual game that combines educational content with immersive gameplay. Second, the piloting of the game in at least one school in each partner country, allowing for real-life testing and validation. Third, the creation and implementation of a social awareness campaign titled “Environmental and Animals Respect: Take Action Now!”, developed locally by each partner organisation and supported through digital communication channels.
As a result, EcoPlay will deliver two main outcomes. The first is the EcoPlay serious game, which aims to teach sustainable behaviours and foster empathy towards nature and animals, empowering students to become active agents of environmental protection. The second is a European social media campaign that raises awareness about environmental and animal welfare issues, while encouraging active participation and commitment from young people and citizens across Europe.