When Knowledge Becomes a Shield: GEMS Celebrates Europe Day by Informing and Empowering Citizens for a Safer Gaming Ecosystem

At the 2026 Europe Day Celebration, Europe Direct ELIAMEP Attica organised a series of awareness-raising and dialogue-driven events hosted at the Europa Experience in Athens. As part of the awareness campaign implemented by the European project GEMS | Gaming Ecosystem as a Multi-layered Security Threat, and with the aim of informing and empowering the public, Bledar Feta participated in the interactive speed-dating session with researchers. There, he presented how online gaming environments are evolving into complex security arenas and how they can be exploited by extremist actors.

Visitors to the Europe Day Celebration, teachers, parents, children, young gamers, as well as institutional representatives, approached the GEMS stand with curiosity and a wide range of questions. Conversations often began with a simple, everyday concern: “How safe are the games our children are playing?” From that point, the discussion opened up to a world that remains largely invisible to many: the methods of exploitation used by extremists, the risks emerging within gaming communities, and the new forms of manipulation that appear in digital spaces where young people spend a significant part of their time.

A Speed-Dating Session of Knowledge and Prevention

During the speed‑dating session, participants had the opportunity to speak directly with researchers and learn about key priorities of the European Union. Bledar Feta, researcher of the GEMS project, explained the risks that develop within online gaming spaces, the techniques extremists use to exploit them, the project’s research findings, and the prevention tools developed by the ELIAMEP team. He also discussed the policy recommendations designed to support law‑enforcement agencies, the educational community, youth organisations and the gaming stakeholders in understanding the problem and taking effective action.

Particular interest was shown in the GEMS Guide for players, parents and educators, created to strengthen a “triangle of safety” around young people: informed players, empowered parents and prepared educators. 

Empowering Citizens and Protecting Young People 

The discussions frequently extended beyond the time initially planned. Children who play online games daily shared experiences and concerns; teachers sought practical advice on how to identify worrying behaviours; and parents expressed the need for guidance in a digital world that evolves faster than they can follow. The public’s response highlighted how essential awareness‑raising truly is, and how important it is for research to be translated into knowledge that resonates with people’s everyday lives.

From Awareness to Action

Through this activity, GEMS succeeded in bringing to the forefront an issue that often remains unknown in Greece: the exploitation of online gaming spaces by extremist actors and the potential impact this can have on the safety of young people. The project’s presence at the Europe Day Celebration was not simply a participation; it was an opportunity to transform scientific knowledge into a protective shield for society, at a time when accurate information and public awareness are more necessary than ever.

The collaboration between GEMS and Europe Direct ELIAMEP Attica continues with awareness‑raising activities in schools across Attica, strengthening the effort to build a gaming ecosystem where young people can participate, play and create safely.