The objective of the project, initiated in September 2019, was to improve the socio-cultural integration of foreign nationals and to increase their safety in Lodz. Lodz police officers played the key role in the implementation of the project activities, who on the one hand participated in numerous training courses, and on the other – helped in the preparation of materials and organisation of events addressed to the main target group of the project, i.e. foreign nationals.
As part of the "Open Łódź" project, the Faculty of Philology of the University of Lodz trained 80 officers of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Lodz in the field of intercultural communication, communication with people with poor knowledge of Polish and with basic and intermediate level of English. Thanks to the involvement of the Municipal Police Headquarters in Lodz, we were able to elaborate a number of training and didactic materials, conduct courses and trainings, as well as organise information and integration meetings for refugees from Ukraine.
- lists dr Monika Kopytowska.
The project activities were carried out at a difficult time, when we were facing the pandemic and the refugee crisis. However, the project coordinators made sure that the proposed activities take into account the current situation and meet the current needs of foreign nationals staying in Lodz. Hence, among others extension of the project activities to initiatives targeted at Ukrainian citizens who came to our city shortly after the start of the war by Russia.
Is it already possible to talk about the benefits of the recently completed project? Dr. Kopytowska has no doubts that the effects of almost three-year work are noticeable today and she summarizes:
Our activities have resulted in the improvement of linguistic and cultural competences, and effective communication means better social awareness and greater safety of the inhabitants of our city.
The authorities of the Faculty of Philology ensure that the end of the project does not mean the end of good relations with the Municipal Police Headquarters in Lodz.
We hope for further fruitful and multidimensional cooperation that will allow us to use the common potential and competences for the benefit of Lodz and its inhabitants.
- representatives of both sides add.
The project entitled "Open Łódź" was co-financed by the European Union from the European Social Fund under the Knowledge, Education, Development Operational Programme; implemented by the University of Lodz as part of the competition of the National Centre for Research and Development No. POWR.03.01.00-IP.08-00-3MU/18, based on the agreement no. POWR.03.01.00-00-T155/18 of 21 February 2019.
Source: Faculty of Philology, University of Lodz