ABOUT THE PROJECT

Poland’s towns and villages are facing a challenge that didn’t exist a decade ago: how to live, work and communicate harmoniously in a diverse community?

Around 2.5 million foreigners live in Poland. This is the largest demographic change in our country’s recent history – a change most municipalities have not been able to prepare for. There is often a lack of data, tools, skills, or infrastructure for working in a multicultural environment, and local spaces for dialogue. Activities tend to be scattered or duplicated, and local authorities lack experience in building cohesive, diverse communities. Meanwhile, public acceptance of people with migration experience fell to 42% at the start of 2025.

In the 'Spójnia' project, we are supporting 16 local communities in Poland in developing their own approach to local integration, tailored to their needs and capacities. We offer comprehensive, systemic and practical solutions, including a model of cross-sector cooperation and a strategic planning process developed and tested in the international 'LiBri: libraries and local partnerships for the integration and inclusion of people with migration and refugee experience in Europe' project. We work with local authorities, civil society organisations, institutions and libraries. We provide tools, knowledge and space to act. We help build cooperation networks, implement effective solutions and bring about changes that will remain in communities long after the project ends.