Institute of Migrant Rights, European Parliament Office in Wrocław, and Info-Forum-Polregio invite you to the Central European Integration Forum 2023 on 5 June 2023 in Wrocław
Main topics of discussion: multiculturalism, social participation, the EU and migrants. Forum 2023 will have three discussion panels, 17 speakers, guests from Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus, politicians, scientists, NGOs, and activists. The initiative aims to raise public awareness of the problems of refugees and migrants, build bridges between cultures and exchange information and network entities dealing with migrants’ issues.
This year’s edition will be held on 5 June 2023 in the European Parliament Office in Wrocław, ul. Widok 10. The Forum is a closed event and will be broadcast live on the website of the European Parliament Office on Facebook: https://www.facebook.chttps://www.facebook.com/PEWroclawom/PEWroclaw. The event is financed by the Queen Richeza Award.
Agenda of the Central European Integration Forum 2023:
Monday, 5 June 2023 | 10:00-18:15
10:00-10:20 – initiation of the Forum.
Presentation of the organisers: Info-Forum-Polregio, Institute of Migrant Rights, European Parliament Office.
Speech by Jose Neumann – deputy of the Landtag of NRW.
10:30-10:50 – The migration situation of Poland before 24 February 2022, dr Agnieszka Florczak from the Institute of Political Science UWr.
11:00-13:00 – Multicultural Poland – is it possible? What are the biggest challenges? Is there a need to redefine the concept of a nation? What should be done to ensure that all social groups live together and not next to each other?
Katarzyna Sobańska-Laskowska – field representative of the Commissioner for Human Rights.
Khrystyna Vlodek – program manager for Ukraine at the Institute for Eastern Studies.
Irina Tkeshelashvili – doctoral student in the Section of International Communication at the Institute of International Studies of the University of Wrocław, member of Team Europe.
Tatiana Andrushka – plenipotentiary of the Mayor of Wrocław for residents of Belarusian origin.
Moderated by Bartłomiej Potocki – director of the Institute of Migrant Rights.
13:30-15:30 – EU as the destination country for migrants. How much power and support should come from the EU, and to what extent should it be within the competencies and challenges of the member state?
Patrycja Matusz – Vice-Rector of the University of Wrocław.
Janina Ochojska – Member of the European Parliament of the 9th term, Polish humanitarian activist.
Martin Kremer – Consul General of Germany in Wrocław.
Moderated by Leszek Gaś – director of the European Parliament Office.
16:00-18:00 – Integration and social participation at the local government level. Should it be done (how to shape it), and if so, why and how? What about the fears of the host society? How to talk to it about the social participation of migrants? Transfer of experience from North Rhine-Westphalia.
Ksenija Sakelšek – President of the Integration Council.
Bartłomiej Ciążyński – Vice-president of Wrocław.
Fida Soubaiti – refugee representative at OBV Meerbusch eV.
Anna Krenz – activist and founder of Dziewuchy Berlin – a grassroots group of Polish Women.
Moderated by Joanna Szymańska – scientific director of Info-Forum-Polregio in NRW.
18:00-18:15 – end of the Forum, thanks to the guests, speakers, and participants, along with a reminder that the Forum was held as part of the Queen Richeza Award.
Speech by Laurinas Vaciunuas – President of the Jan Nowak Jeziorański College of Eastern Europe.
What is the Central European Integration Forum?
It is a series of discussion panels that raise issues related to the integration, adaptation and education of refugees and migrants living in Wrocław and Lower Silesia. They aim to raise public awareness of the problems of refugees and migrants, build bridges between different cultures and nationalities, and exchange information and contacts between organisations, institutions and entities engaged in migrant issues or working with migrants. The Integration Forum features speeches of experts in politics, education, and law, including representatives of universities, government, local government, and non-governmental organisations, as well as social activists. They are also invited to participate in discussions on various aspects related to the life and social integration of migrants.
Translated by Klaudia Kaczmarek (student of English Studies at the University of Wrocław) as part of the translation practice.
