On 14th of September 2016 The Krakow City Council passed with great majority a resolution
which adopted the „Open Krakow” program for the execution. When implemented in the scope of social policy Krakow as municipality will join cities that are truly European, open for dialogue and diversity, conscious of their multicultural heritage and rich history on which national and ethnic minorities had deep impact.
Program had been design as modern tool for the effective management of this particular part of social policy that touched relations between native inhabitants and immigrants that reside in Krakow permanently or temporarily or visit city as tourists. Foreigners living in Krakow are obviously a group of inhabitants with special needs that require specific approach addressing those needs. If needs are satisfied there is a great opportunity to use foreigner potential to build social capital and welfare through their skills. Each year the number of foreigners present in Krakow rise as well as economical investments generated by expats.
The success of investments and their positive influence for long-term city development is dependent on ability to create good atmosphere toward diversity within the city. Ability to live and work in multicultural environment is one of the most wanted skill sought by employers from BPO and IT corporations, branches of business that made the greatest investments in Krakow and become the fastest rising business in the local market. It had been proved by the official research conducted by Jagiellonian University in Krakow and sponsored by the City Board.
Adoption of the Open Krakow Program and its further development is clear investment for the future success of Krakow and its inhabitants. The project has positive approach, prosocial and is indiscriminate in manner. It will aim to build cohesive and tolerant local community.
We are very grateful and would like to prize the municipalities and institutions in Glasgow, Galway, Malmo, Postdam and Berlin for their consultancy, advice, good practices and aid that enabled us to prepare the strategy and adapt it to our local environment.
The Open Krakow Program among others provides several important integration tools for foreigners, like more friendly local institutions, anti-discrimination policies in public procurement and civic duty, translation of all administrative procedure that might affect expats to foreign languages, creating information center for foreigners, where they will be able to learn about basics of living in Poland, consultation body for the intercultural strategy development, free language Polish lessons for children and many more.
We hope that soon the text of the program will be available in foreign languages.
