Project duration: November 1, 2025 – October 31, 2028
The UNITY (Jedność) Foundation (Kraków), together with its partners Stowarzyszenie AWR Wszyscy Swoi (Kielce), Stowarzyszenie LOŻA 3 (Kielce), Fundacja Ukraina (Wrocław), and Fundacja Sfera Jedności (Wrocław), has received a grant from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027 for project No. FAMI.02.01-IZ.00-0034/25, “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”.
We are carrying out this project to bring young people with migration experience together with their Polish peers, strengthen their participation in local communities, and foster openness and mutual respect.
Our role in the project is to create a space for meetings, dialogue and development in Kraków. The UNITY (Jedność) Foundation is responsible for a range of activities, including:
— integration and anti-discrimination workshops in schools,
— youth conferences in Kraków and workshops preparing participants for them,
— training for partners on organising youth conferences,
— festivals and theatre workshops for young people.
The project is aimed at young people aged 10–25, as well as intercultural assistants.
We believe that working together will help build openness, mutual respect, social skills and a safe space for development.
Project value: PLN 5,232,178.00
Contribution from European Funds: PLN 4,708,960.20
Since November, we have been intensively preparing to implement the project “Openness to others as the foundation of a peaceful future: international Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków” (project No. FAMI.02.01-IZ.00-0034/25), supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Today we can say one thing: we are fully prepared and have already begun carrying out the project activities.
Eleven people are working on the project. As part of our preparations, we have begun work in four key areas:
– preparing for an international theatre festival featuring young people,
– organising a large youth conference, “I Am in the World. How Can I Influence the World?”,
– training project partners to organise youth conferences,
– supporting the integration of children and young people with migration experience into Polish society.
We’re launching our theatre project!
We are delighted to announce that our theatre group has begun preparing a performance as part of the FAMI project!
Working with professional actress and director Mariia Soroka, the young people are exploring William Shakespeare’s texts through monologues and dialogues. Although we have yet to choose a specific work, we have already begun studying the texts closely and developing ideas to create something exceptional.
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to others as the foundation of a peaceful future: international Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
We invite intercultural assistants and people working with children and young people with migration experience in schools to a practical training session.
The training will be led by experienced practitioners from Fundacja Ukraina — Igor Lisin and Ksenia Laba. For years, the foundation has promoted social integration and intercultural education, strengthened dialogue and cooperation in multicultural settings, and supported schools, teachers and specialists working with young people with migration experience.
During the session, participants will focus on key aspects of an intercultural assistant’s work, including:
– the assistant’s role and the boundaries of their work in Polish schools,
– standards for working with teachers, school counsellors, school management, parents and guardians,
– practical methods for working in multicultural classrooms, including Team Up, HEART, Lego Serious Play and MHPSS,
– good practices, supervision and the continued development of assistants’ skills.
Meeting schedule
10:30–11:00 — morning coffee
11:00–12:30 — training session
12:30–13:00 — coffee break
13:00–14:30 — training session
14:30–15:00 — summary and questions
Venue
The UNITY (Jedność) Foundation headquarters
ul. Sławkowska 10, 31-014 Kraków
Registration: https://forms.gle/wzC6X3yAoaAKUAXN7
Training language: Ukrainian
The training is carried out as part of the project “Openness to others as the foundation of a peaceful future: international Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
A practical training session for intercultural assistants and people working with children and young people with migration experience in schools took place at the headquarters of The UNITY (Jedność) Foundation in Kraków.
The session was led by experienced practitioners from Fundacja Ukraina — Igor Lisin and Ksenia Laba.
Participants focused on key aspects of an intercultural assistant’s work, including their role and the boundaries of their work in Polish schools, standards for cooperation with teaching staff and parents, practical methods for working in multicultural classrooms, good practices and the continued development of their skills.
The training was carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
We’ve launched training sessions for partners on organising youth conferences!
We’ve held the first meeting in our series of training sessions for partners on organising youth conferences. During the first session, we focused on working with young people, particularly adolescent psychology and creating a safe, supportive space for them.
The session was led by Olena Koltunovych, who shared her many years of experience working with young people. She highlighted the challenges of adolescence, the importance of relationships and the role of the “third place” — a space outside home and school where young people can feel accepted and supported.
Participants also had the opportunity to share their own experience of working with young people and reflect on how to better support their development.
More meetings and further preparations for future youth conferences lie ahead.
The training is carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Another training session for partners — on the difference between entertainment and meaningful leisure!
We’ve held another training session for partners preparing youth conferences. This time, we explored the difference between leisure and entertainment and reflected on the format of youth conferences today.
During the session, we considered how an event focused solely on being engaging and fast-paced differs from a space that genuinely supports young people’s development. We discussed why meaningful leisure — time that prompts questions about ourselves, the world and the future — is especially important for teenagers today.
We also reflected on the challenges facing youth conferences: a lack of in-depth facilitation, accepting every answer without guiding the discussion, and too little connection between the topics and young people’s lived experiences.
The session was led by Svitlana Kelbukova, a tutor at The UNITY (Jedność) Foundation.
The training is carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Do you sometimes find it hard to understand yourself too?
You live, you study, you do things, you’re heading somewhere — and yet the questions keep coming up: Who am I?
What do I want? Where am I in all of this — the real me?
Often, instead of pausing and honestly listening to ourselves, we pretend that everything is fine, that we feel confident and that we know where we’re going.
But many young people today live under pressure: surrounded by noise, other people’s expectations, social media, artificial intelligence, comparisons and constant outside influence.
Sometimes that influence is so strong that it becomes hard to tell: Is this my choice, or has someone else made it for me?
That’s what the youth conference “I Am in the World. How Can I Influence the World?” will explore.
It’s a space where young people will talk with other young people about what matters: inner freedom, how we lose ourselves and find our way back, the influence of artificial intelligence, and whether we can be more than people who are influenced by the world — whether we can influence it too.
But this conference isn’t just about serious questions.
It’s also about coming together, a lively atmosphere, new connections, inspiration, honest conversations and the feeling that you’re not alone.
It’s a day you can leave feeling more alive, more aware of yourself and stronger within — rather than exhausted!
This event is for those who are searching, doubting, thinking and making mistakes, but do NOT want to live superficially.
Where: Kraków, address coming soon
When: 25 April 2026, 10:00–17:00
Who: young people aged 14–25
Alongside important topics, new connections and conversations in person, participants can look forward to gifts and other pleasant surprises!
Sign up as soon as possible: click the link
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Theatre classes are underway, with a focus on Shakespeare’s works.
Our director shares new knowledge with the children, introduces them to different theatrical forms and shows them outstanding stage productions that inspire them and enrich their own theatrical experience. Through their engagement with theatre, the teenagers develop a deeper understanding of art as a language through which people and their times can be understood.
Regular workshops help participants develop new acting skills, deepen their abilities, and become more confident, attentive and expressive on stage. They also learn to work as a team. What we value most, however, is that the young people continue exploring Shakespeare’s timeless themes on their own — love, death, truth, life, courage and power…
This is how the actors of a new theatre emerge — attentive to words, to people and to inner truth!
The acting classes take place as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Preparations are underway for the speakers at the conference “I Am in the World. How Can I Influence the World?”
Our experts support the speakers throughout this process, helping them turn their ideas into coherent presentations: structure their arguments, identify what to emphasise and find words that will stay with the audience.
Public speaking lessons are an important part of the preparation. We explore how to hold an audience’s attention, work with the voice and learn from inspiring TED Talks.
Participants are now creating visual presentations for their talks, making final edits to their texts and beginning to practise their speeches.
Rehearsals, practice in front of an audience and final refinements are still ahead. As the excitement grows, so do the joy and anticipation of the upcoming conference!
The speaker training takes place as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
On 27 March, we held an in-person meeting with our FAMI project partners — and it was a real source of inspiration.
The most important message we wanted to share with our partners was this: a youth conference is not a collection of “useful topics”, and it is certainly not a lecture on “how to live properly”. Above all, young people today need the opportunity to ask questions and search for answers: Who am I? Why am I here? How can I put my ideas into action?
To bring this idea to life, we invited young people from The UNITY (Jedność) Foundation to the meeting. Together, we showed our partners a working version of the conference format and what will happen on 25 April at “I Am in the World. How Can I Influence the World?”.
For us, it was also a chance to test the format: to see what works, what needs strengthening and what could be simpler. We learned by working with the young people who are now preparing their talks. There is something valuable about seeing a format emerge with young people, rather than being designed for them.
We thank our partners for their active participation, openness and willingness to create meaningful events for the younger generation!
The training takes place as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
In April, we held two important meetings with partners as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”.
The first meeting focused on organising youth conferences. We discussed administration, marketing and the allocation of funds.
The second meeting focused on preparing young speakers for a conference: how to help them feel confident, express their ideas clearly and give engaging, meaningful presentations.
For us, these meetings are more than an exchange of experience. They help us create better events for young people — events with purpose, quality and room for teenagers and young adults to speak in their own voices.
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
We sincerely thank Sika Poland for providing additional funding for the conference, particularly for catering and printed materials, including our conference notebooks.
Thanks to this support, we were able to make the conference more comfortable for participants and improve the quality of its materials.
Thank you for your trust and for helping us create meaningful events for young people.
The conference was held as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Thank you to ClickUp for providing a tool that helped us organise the youth conference.
With tasks organised, responsibilities clearly assigned, deadlines tracked and the team working well together, we could work more calmly, precisely and effectively.
Good organisation matters enormously for an event of this size — and we can say with confidence that not a single task was overlooked.
Thank you for a solution that helped us maintain the quality of our preparations at every stage.
The conference was held as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Our youth conference has come to a close: it was full of energy, inspiration and beautiful moments.
Take a look at the faces, conversations and moments that will stay with us for a long time. We’re already planning more conferences, so stay tuned — this is only the beginning:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DX6xsn7jNti/?img_index=14&igsh=MW5ibGtrdGNvcmNhNw==
Photos: Anna Zieiel
The conference was held as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, co-financed by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Our theatre group continues its work as part of the FAMI project!
Participants are working on stage movement, voice, improvisation and character development, discovering theatre as a space for meeting, dialogue and mutual understanding.
Coming soon — on 4 July — we’ll present “Shakespeare. Experiment” in Kielce. It will be a creative encounter with a classic work in a contemporary interpretation, full of energy, confidence on stage and theatrical exploration.
Follow our activities and support our theatre group!
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Our first performance has taken place!
On 4 July in Kielce, we gave the first of three planned performances of our original production, created as part of the project “Youth Creating Dialogue: Theatre and Mentoring for Integration”.
This is an important moment for the young people taking part in the theatre activities. Working on the performance supports their personal development, builds self-confidence and helps them develop skills in self-expression, cooperation and building relationships within the group.
We are glad we could present the results of this work at the theatre festival in Kielce. More opportunities to meet our audience lie ahead!
Co-financed by Narodowy Instytut Wolności – Centrum Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego under the Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich NOWEFIO programme.
This publication reflects solely the views of the author. NIW-CRSO is not responsible for how the information it contains may be used.
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
After our successful first premiere in Krakow, our theatre group is keeping up the momentum!
We are preparing for upcoming performances while working on new material. Once again, our space is filled with Shakespeare’s sonnets, laughter, inspiring conversations, voices from the rehearsal room, music, scripts and that special kind of chaos that means one thing: the creative process is truly alive.
The theatre journey continues. And we continue with it.
Co-financed by Narodowy Instytut Wolności – Centrum Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego under the Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich NOWEFIO programme.
This publication reflects solely the views of the author. NIW-CRSO is not responsible for how the information it contains may be used.
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
We are preparing a new version of “Shakespeare. Sonnets Experiments”!
Our theatre group continues to work intensively on the performance, which will be presented at a theatre festival on Saturday, 21 November 2026.
We held four theatre training sessions in August and plan four more in September. These sessions focus on movement, stage presence and awareness, helping the actors become more open, expressive and ready to respond to what happens on stage.
We are revisiting earlier material, refining scenes we have already created, working on new sections and deepening the performance’s theatrical language.
So in November, you will see more than a repeat performance: you will see a new, expanded and strengthened version of “Shakespeare. Sonnets Experiments”.
We will share more information about the theatre festival soon — keep an eye on our updates!
Co-financed by Narodowy Instytut Wolności – Centrum Rozwoju Społeczeństwa Obywatelskiego under the Fundusz Inicjatyw Obywatelskich NOWEFIO programme.
This publication reflects solely the views of the author. NIW-CRSO is not responsible for how the information it contains may be used.
These activities are carried out as part of the project “Openness to Others as the Foundation for a Peaceful Future: International Youth Development Centres in Kielce, Wrocław and Kraków”, supported by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) under the European Funds for Migration, Borders and Security 2021–2027.
Your support helps us continue and grow this project. Join us today.
