International Migrants Day. We are not indifferent.

Migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced persons (IDPs) are facing serious challenges today. According to the International Organization for Migration, the process of population movement around the world will continue, and the number of people living outside their home countries will systematically increase, mainly due to increasingly severe climate changes, irreversible demographic processes, armed conflicts, and natural disasters.

The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, recognizing the growing needs of migrants, draws attention to their social, legal, medical, and psychological situation. At the initiative of the Red Cross, humanitarian aid points are being established along popular migration routes. These places provide a safe space for migrants and displaced persons. In this way, support is provided each year for 4.7 million people who are on their way to a new country.

The Polish Red Cross operates Integration Centers throughout Poland. We offer free legal assistance, psychological support, vocational activation, and language lessons. We organize meetings for adults and activities for children from both Poland and Ukraine.

The needs of refugees in Poland after February 24, 2022, have changed over many months. Initially, it was mainly material support; now, legal and psychological support is very important. In 2023, over 450,000 Ukrainian refugees benefited from Polish Red Cross assistance, with 410,000 receiving direct humanitarian aid, including food packages. 250 families (over 775 individuals) received funding, allowing them to rent apartments independently. Additionally, 20,000 refugees benefited from psychological support. The Polish Red Cross organized 300 workshops for children and youth, 200 English and Polish language courses, 50 vocational courses, and career counseling sessions, as well as dozens of integration meetings, including holiday-themed ones.

At the actively operating Integration Center in Białystok, a lawyer, a respected migration law specialist, is on duty, providing free advice on matters such as legalizing residence in Poland or returning to one’s country. The Białystok center also regularly hosts a psychologist from Ukraine, who helps individuals in psychological crisis. Training courses for migrants are continuously held here, preparing them for paid services, such as beauty, hairdressing, or caregiving services. Polish and English language lessons are in high demand.

The example of the Integration Center in Łódź shows that bringing migrants closer to the local community can be a pleasant and creative process. Joint outings to the cinema and theater are very popular here. The project “Time for Holidays, Time for Joy” involved 20 singers of different nationalities. They sang a Christmas song together in a professional recording studio. The final stage was a music video shot in a factory repurposed for cultural purposes. Regular acting and art workshops are held at the Integration Center in Łódź, resulting in works presented to the public.

On the occasion of Migrants Day, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies presents a report prepared by The Global Migration Lab (the report is available below, in English). Last year’s research confirmed that the vast majority (71 percent) of those leaving their country were forced to do so. Only 14 percent migrated for economic reasons, and just 3 percent due to relationships or family matters. More than half of the respondents were already in the destination country, while 39 percent were on the way. One in four migrants received humanitarian support from Red Cross volunteers.