World Refugee Day 2003: Poland

More than 10,000 people turned up for the World Refugee Day concert in Warsaw, which featured belly dancing, African rhythms (including a refugee band), a theatre-light show and Polish bands performing world music. It was accompanied by a street fair, activities for children and an information campaign.

Smaller concerts and street fairs were held in Wroclaw, Lublin, Krakow, Poznan and Bialystok, featuring songs and dances by Chechen refugees, music and poetry by a refugee band, and students performing African music.

In Torun, Krakow and Bialystok, conferences and discussions were held to inform young Poles about the refugee situation in Poland. Torun also hosted a meeting with the head of the local social workers' network to decide on a joint project to train social workers on refugee-related issues.

For a special photo project, refugee children and youth were given disposable cameras and trained to take photos of their daily life, aspirations and dreams. These snapshots offered a new perspective into refugee life, and were exhibited at the World Refugee Day event in Warsaw.

Other exhibitions included one in Krakow that showcased large photos of refugees in Sudan, and mobile displays in Torun and Bialystok on the refugee situation in Poland and worldwide.