Launched in March 2023 and running for 18 months, the Academy on the Integration of Migrants and Refugees in Polish Cities is an interagency initiative implemented in cooperation with the Union of Polish Metropolises (UMP) that offers a series of training courses to assist city administrations, preparing them to work with newcomers and addressing the challenges they might encounter while integrating them.

Drawing on their knowledge and expertise, the Council of Europe Intercultural Cities Programme, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have designed an 18-months training programme for staff from a range of local authorities in Poland to address numerous aspects of migrant and refugee integration in cities.

Making migrant integration work is a key step for building prosperous communities based on equality and non-discrimination, where everyone belongs and thrives.

In this framework, the Intercultural Cities programme offers a 3-days training covering methodologies and tools that support local authorities in acquiring the intercultural competencies they need to manage diversity as an advantage for society as a whole.

The course consists of capacity-building sessions which combine practical exercises with theory. All participants will have the opportunity to share practices and challenges with peers from other municipalities.

The training includes:

• DAY 1 (27 June): Introduction to interculturalism, intercultural strategies, and intercultural competence training
• DAY 2 (28 June): Training session on anti-rumours strategy
• DAY 3 (29 June): Training session on communication – how to promote inclusive messages

Full agenda >>