The World Refugee Day was established by the UN in 2004 as an annual holiday celebrated on 20 June. It commemorates courage and strength of refugees. According to the 2013 estimates, around the world, there are more than 45.2 million refugees and persons resettled within their own country. In 2013 in Poland, 14,981 people applied for a refugee status, and only 131 were granted it. 85% of people applying for a refugee status are Russian (Chechen) citizens, 8% – Georgian and 2% – Syrian.
Polish Humanitarian Action, Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre, Amnesty International Małopolska, Villa Decius Association and ZNAK Christian Culture Foundation would like to invite you to the Refugee Day event.
On Monday, 23 June, from 11 am, come to the Decius Park for a simulation game “Experiences”. The game shows very evocatively a process of crossing the boundaries and allows to experience situations that real refugees go through.
The event will be attended by some eminent actors from Kraków: Jerzy Trela – immigration officer, Krzysztof Globisz – immigration officer, Piotr Pilitowski – border guard, Tomasz Schimmscheiner (“Gospodarstwo Teratralne” Foundation) – border guard, Beata Schimmscheiner (“Gospodarstwo Teatralne” Foundation) – immigration officer and students of the 20th Lower Secondary School and 8th Secondary School of General Education in Kraków. We would also like to invite 10 volunteers who will be first to enrol at krakow@pah.org.pl, until 20 June.
At 7 pm, you are welcome to visit Nowa Prowincja at 3 Bracka Street for an artistic evening dedicated to refugees.
Schedule:
Reading excerpts of a play by Iwona Nowacka, “Przychodźcy” (“Re-comers”) performed by actors: Katarzyna Krzanowska, Iwona Sitkowska, Marcin Kalisz, Błażej Peszek and Kajetan Wolniewicz, under supervision of director Piotr Ratajczak. The play has been written on the basis of interviews with refugees living in Poland, and the entire project has been implemented within the grant of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage.
The interview with a Belarusian dissident, civil activist, literary critique and translator – Lavon Barščeŭski who is staying in Kraków on grant within the International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN). The meeting will be conducted by Ms Małgorzata Nocuń from “Tygodnik Powszechny” newspaper.
Presentation of a 30-minute documentary – “From the Caucasus onto the Vistula” – about refugees from Chechnya, produced by Vox Humana Association. The only screening in Kraków!
We also encourage you to watch an exhibition of comic strips about refugees, organised by the Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre, which will be shown at Planty between Św. Tomasza and Szczepańska streets. The exhibition will last until 23 June.