The European Institute for Modern Board Games (EIMBG), operating under the Ludus Magnus brand, has been contracted by the Association of Municipalities of Alto Tajo to contribute to the European project RuralConnect – Building Bridges Between Rural Communities for a Stronger Europe.
The contract was formally awarded on 13 July 2026 and will enable RuralConnect to draw on EIMBG’s expertise in the design and implementation of participatory methodologies based on gamification and modern board games.
Connecting rural communities across Europe
RuralConnect is an initiative funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values Programme (CERV) under the Networks of Towns call. Identified by project number 101249639, it is coordinated by the Association of Municipalities of Alto Tajo and brings together public authorities and organisations from Spain, Italy, Romania, Ireland and Luxembourg.
The project seeks to strengthen civic participation and support the sustainable development of rural communities across Europe. It addresses some of the main challenges facing these areas, including limited participation in democratic processes, economic isolation, the digital divide and difficulties in accessing European programmes and opportunities.
To respond to these challenges, RuralConnect will create spaces for dialogue, training activities, mentoring initiatives and international exchanges involving public institutions, civil society organisations, entrepreneurs and residents of rural communities.
The project will pay particular attention to groups that frequently encounter greater barriers to participating in the economic, social and civic life of their communities, especially young people, women, migrants and ethnic minorities.
Its main objectives include:
- Encouraging more active civic participation in rural communities.
- Connecting citizens, public authorities and local organisations with European institutions and opportunities.
- Promoting transnational cooperation and the exchange of good practices.
- Developing digital, entrepreneurial and leadership skills.
- Supporting more inclusive, sustainable and resilient models of rural development.
The contribution of EIMBG and Ludus Magnus
The Association of Municipalities of Alto Tajo has awarded EIMBG a contract to provide specialised services related to the implementation of RuralConnect.
Through Ludus Magnus, we will contribute our experience in designing game-based experiences that support participation, dialogue and learning. Our approach is grounded in a fundamental idea: play can create an accessible and safe environment in which people explore collective challenges, share different perspectives and consider possible responses together.
Modern board games and gamified activities can place participants in situations involving decision-making, limited resources, shared interests, cooperation, negotiation and critical thinking. When these experiences are properly facilitated and followed by structured reflection, they can become particularly valuable tools for social learning and civic participation.
Their use within RuralConnect will help explore new ways of involving local residents in identifying the needs of their communities and developing solutions collaboratively. Game-based methodologies can also make European topics and opportunities more accessible while encouraging the participation of people with different ages, backgrounds and levels of experience.
Playing to foster dialogue, learning and community building
EIMBG’s involvement in RuralConnect offers a new opportunity to apply the potential of modern board games to an area of considerable social importance: the future of Europe’s rural communities.
At Ludus Magnus, we understand games not only as a form of entertainment but also as a shared language capable of bringing people together around the same table. Playing involves communicating, interpreting information, making decisions, dealing with their consequences and building a shared experience with others.
These characteristics make games promising tools for strengthening relationships, facilitating dialogue between different groups and promoting active citizenship. In rural settings, where creating meeting spaces and reinforcing community networks can be especially important, game-based methodologies offer new ways to listen to local voices and encourage cooperation.
Further recognition of EIMBG’s specialist expertise
This contract strengthens the European Institute for Modern Board Games’ growing involvement in national and European initiatives related to education, inclusion, civic participation and skills development through modern board games and gamification.
It also represents recognition of an approach that combines game design with training, facilitation and evaluation. It is not simply a matter of introducing a game into an activity. Meaningful game-based learning requires selecting or designing the right experience, adapting it to the participants and facilitating reflection so that insights gained during play can be transferred to real-life situations.
Over the coming months, we will share updates on this collaboration and on the activities and resources developed within RuralConnect through the Ludus Magnus website.
Further information is available on the official RuralConnect website.
RuralConnect – Building Bridges Between Rural Communities for a Stronger Europe. Project number: 101249639. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the author or authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or EACEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.