Europe’s XR ecosystem combines technical innovation, cultural diversity, and human-centred values to shape virtual worlds that are open, interoperable, and empowering. But what does “European XR” mean in a global context? While narratives often suggest Europe lags behind, initiatives across the continent reveal a strong and diverse immersive ecosystem with unique contributions to make. This session with Michael Barngrover (Managing Director of XR4Europe) explores Europe’s strengths, challenges, and opportunities – from overcoming platform and business-model hurdles to building communities, advancing standards, and telling stories that reflect a distinct European perspective on XR. In doing so, it proposes how Europe’s emphasis on collaboration, ethics, and trust can offer the world a model for inclusive and sustainable immersive virtual worlds.