From Blue Dots to Points of Safety: A sustainable refugee support model in Slovakia
From Blue Dots to Points of Safety: A sustainable refugee support model in Slovakia
A refugee woman receives material assistance at the Point of Safety “Comin” in Nitra, one of seven municipally led centers in Slovakia’s sustainable support network.
In a major step toward sustainable refugee integration, UNHCR has transitioned Slovakia’s Blue Dot Hubs into a locally owned and more sustainable new model - the Point of Safety Network. This marks a strategic shift from emergency humanitarian response to a nationally embedded approach that promotes long-term, sustainable support for refugees and other foreigners in need.
The initiative unites seven municipally led centers across Slovakia. Built on the foundation of the Blue Dot model – introduced by UNHCR in Slovakia in partnership with UNICEF at the onset of the refugee emergency caused by the full-scale war in Ukraine - the Point of Safety Network strengthens local collaboration, promotes long-term sustainability, and helps maintain high-quality services for those in need.
This network marks a milestone in UNHCR Slovakia’s shift from direct humanitarian response to empowering national systems and municipal leadership in refugee integration. It stands as a successful example of how UNHCR can support local actors in developing context-specific, sustainable solutions.
The Point of Safety centers - located in Bratislava, Košice, Michalovce, Nitra, Prešov, Trnava, and Žilina- continue to provide essential services under a locally owned framework. They operate according to shared service standards, coordinated by the Union of Cities of Slovakia, with expert support from UNHCR.
The seven Slovak cities, Bratislava, Košice, Michalovce, Nitra, Prešov, Trnava, and Žilina, that make up the Point of Safety Network are marked on the map, each featuring the logo of its local support centre to illustrate the geographic reach and local partnerships underpinning this sustainable integration model.
From emergency response to sustainable support
When the full-scale war in Ukraine escalated in 2022, UNHCR rapidly scaled up its emergency response across Europe, including through the establishment of Blue Dot Hubs in partnership with UNICEF. In Slovakia, six Blue Dots were established as safe spaces offering essential services such as social counselling, legal assistance, child protection, and psychological support. They quickly became recognized symbols of high-quality service delivery and effective collaboration among public authorities, UN agencies, and civil society in Slovakia.
From the beginning, the Blue Dot model was intended as a temporary measure for the emergency phase of displacement. As the situation evolved and national systems strengthened, UNHCR in Slovakia recognized the need for a more locally owned, sustainable approach - one that could continue delivering high-quality support over the long term.
“With the situation stabilizing and national systems strengthening, it was time to build on the success of Blue Dots and create something even more enduring,” said Danijela Popović-Efendić, Head of UNHCR in Slovakia.
“This network ensures that refugee protection and integration are not temporary responses, but part of the fabric of local governance.”
A place to belong
For many Ukrainian refugees in Slovakia, Majak - meaning “Lighthouse”- a Point of Safety in Zilina, has become a cornerstone of daily life. Vladimir, who fled Kharkiv in 2022, visits regularly. “After everything we’ve been through, having a place where we can just sit, have tea, and talk to others who understand, it gives us back a little peace,” he says.
The Majak Center hosts a range of community-led activities: chess clubs for children and adults, dance groups, creative workshops, and support circles for seniors. Many are organized by Ukrainian volunteers like Vladimir himself, who help run informal gatherings for families. “We don’t have much, sometimes not even enough chess boards, but the space is free, and that’s what makes it possible,” he explains. For children affected by trauma, these structured moments of play offer stability; for older adults, regular meet-ups ease the weight of isolation.
Majak is more than a community center-it’s a vital point within the local support network. Working closely with partners such as refugee-led organizations Ukraine House, NGO Charita, and UNHCR, Majak helps identify urgent needs and connects people to the right services. Refugees trust its dedicated staff to guide them toward legal advice, psychological support, or material assistance, knowing they will be treated with dignity and respect.
Through these everyday interactions, Majak embodies what the Point of Safety Network aims to achieve: locally rooted, community-driven support that fosters dignity, connection, and long-term integration.
Vladimir, a refugee from Kharkiv, at the Point of Safety “Majak” in Zilina. He regularly participates in and helps organize community gatherings for fellow Ukrainians.
Supporting municipal leadership
What makes the Point of Safety Network unique is its municipal ownership and coordination. The Union of Cities of Slovakia welcomed the initiative and now serves as the coordinating body, bringing together city leaders who understand the realities -challenges and opportunities- of integrating refugees into local communities.
Throughout the transition, UNHCR has provided critical technical and advisory support—helping design the network structure, develop establish common standards, and facilitate dialogue and negotiations among stakeholders to ensure a sustainable shift.
“This network is about solidarity between cities,” said Jana Červenáková, Executive Vice-President of the Union of Cities of Slovakia.
“Cities are the first safety net for all residents, including those who arrive seeking refuge or work. We see them not as numbers, but as people, and we will always choose to help.”
Each center continues to operate under its own local identity, now unified under the Point of Safety label—symbolizing a shared commitment to quality service delivery, inclusivity, and mutual collaboration.
A model for the future of refugee integration in Europe
The Point of Safety Network marks a significant shift from emergency service delivery to a sustainable, nationally embedded approach. By moving toward municipal ownership and coordination, the network ensures continued access to quality protection and integration services for refugees and other foreign nationals.
UNHCR supported this transition by providing technical guidance and fostering collaboration among stakeholders—helping design the network structure, develop shared standards, and facilitate protection trainings for local authorities. This collaborative approach strengthens local systems and promotes long-term integration.
As the world marked World Refugee Day on 20 June, the launch of the Point of Safety Network just days later, on 24 June 2025, sent a clear message: true solidarity in not only about responding to crises, but about sustaining support long after the headlines fade. In Slovakia, UNHCR helped made this possible by working with partners to transform temporary emergency hubs into a coordinated, nationally embedded system of protection and integration.
