In September 2016, the Council of the City of Kraków  adopted for implementation the programme “Open Kraków” (Otwarty Kraków), prepared by the Department of Social Affairs (UMK).

The program is designed to facilitate the integration of foreigners in Kraków and to demonstrate the benefits foreigners bring to the city.

Kraków Expats Directory were invited, last October,  to be involved in meetings on the programme and an upcoming conference, as a result of which we became a co-organiser of the conference, which we will be taking part in, and have been designated as the platform to share information and updates on the Open Kraków Programme in English to the expat/foreigners community in Kraków.

A dedicated Open Kraków page has been added to Krakow Expats Directory, which can be accessed using the red button below or from the link at the bottom of our home page.

The aim of the page is to provide information, in English, to the foreigner/expat community, in the absence of any English language information from the city, in the hope that that sometime soon, those responsible for implementing the programme, principally, the council of the city of Kraków,  see fit to consider the rather obvious step of sharing information regarding Open Kraków in other languages.

There are a number of documents relating to the initiative, unfortunately they are all in Polish, in spite of us pressing, since last October,  to have the documents and information made available in other languages.
Open Kraków? – Not Yet!

We are doing our best to have these documents translated, at the very least, via Google translate, but ultimately in the hope that proper translations can be made available from the programme.  The documents will be made available on the Kraków Expats Directory Open Kraków page.

OPEN KRAKÓW PROGRAMME – IN ENGLISH

The Open Kraków (Otwary Kraków) programme is hugely significant as it is the first time the council of the city of Kraków have formally recognised the presence and contribution of the foreigners in this city.

At long last, we have been (or will be) given a voice to be heard.  This is a fabulous opportunity to improve relations, communication, access to services and other issues which affect our community.

The conference mentioned below is the first event, more will be planned in the future.  The Open Kraków programme also aims to provide a new role of a liaison officer for the foreign residents, and a forum for foreigners is also planned in the programme.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD!
Kraków Expats Directory are a co-organiser of the conference, and have been allocated a slot to speak on the first day.

To date, there has been no consultation or dialogue with the very people the Open Kraków programme aims to recognise, support and be open to, the foreigner/expat community.  Much has been done by professionals and NGO’s.

We want to change that!  We intend to use our presentation to bring to the notice of the conference attendees, particularly the city officials, the issues and concerns of the foreigners living in Kraków.

Issues such as Smog, the difficulty in accessing services, healthcare, social services, education and generally the barriers, when dealing with formalities, highlighted by the current waiting times at the foreigners office.

In time, the forum planned as part of the Open Kraków Programme should provide a platform for greater and regular dialogue with the city, but this is a start.

Please use the Feedback/Contact Form below to pass on any issues you would like me to address


OPEN KRAKÓW CONFERENCE
On 23rd – 25th ​​February 2017, the Council of the City of Kraków, (Rada Miasta Kraków) together with the’Mikołaja Reja’ Foundation for the Support of Culture and Polish Language (Fundacją Wspierania Kultury i Języka Polskiego im. Mikołaja Reja)  and the Association Interkulturalni PL are holding a three day conference “Open Kraków” (Otwarty Kraków) the aim of which is to highlight and promote activities for cultural diversity and social integration of foreigners living in Kraków.

The first two days of the conference will take place at City Hall.  The theme for Day 1 of the conference will be Multiculturalism and Diversity, whilst the theme for the second day will be education/integration as it effects foreigners in the Polish education system.

On the third day it is hoped that a  number of smaller events will take place at various locations across Kraków, as part of the MultiCultural Festival, the intention being to  showcase businesses, groups, services, organisations etc within and serving the foreigner community here in Kraków.

“The conference seeks to demonstrate the potential associated with the presence and contribution of the foreigners community in Kraków.  This event was created for foreigners to be able to show projects and to prove that the implementation of the program Open Kraków has a practical, and not just a symbolic sense”

We want to also use the experience of other cities, in order to efficiently and effectively manage migration. The conference will provide an opportunity to seek solutions to the problems in the integration process, such as language barriers and opportunities in education. We would like to lay the foundations for a system in which migrants become part of the local community, living in prosperity and harmony.

‘You’re welcome – Serdecznie zapraszamy’


CONFERENCE REGISTRATION – Registration now open!
Registration to attend the Open Kraków (Otwarty Kraków) conference and take part in the multicultural festival is now open.  To apply please fill in the short application by clicking this button.

REGISTRATION APPLICATION

No information has been provided as yet by the organisers to clarify if registration is compulsory, or whether there is any limit on places available.

In spite of this conference being the first event to take place under the Open Kraków Programme, one of the primary aims being to improve communication with foreigners, the conference will take place mostly in Polish.  The organisers are currently seeking volunteers to translate the conference presentations into other languages.  We will keep you updated.

The Open Kraków Conference Programme has now been published (in Polish !!!)  We are working on an English version which we will share soon.


NEWS & UPDATES

29th Jan 2017
The conference website is now available partly in English.


The conference programme has now been published. (Polish) An English translation will be made available soon.

 

Kraków Expats Directory has been designated as the platform to keep the foreigner/expat community informed, in English,  about the conference and Open Kraków Programme, we will post updates here as new information becomes available.


FEEEDBACK
Please use the contact form below or email openkraków@krakówexpats.pl to share any comments, feedback or highlight any specific Expat/Foreigners in Kraków issues, relating to the conference in particular or the Open Kraków (Otwarty Kraków) initiative in general.

Expat/Foreigner in Kraków?(required)

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