“What would happen if these people were no longer around? If they couldn't come back?” — this question is posed in a new social video by the Polish campaign “Razem lepiej”. Its creators invite us to reflect on how much foreigners have already become a part of the everyday life of Polish society.
Kampania została zainicjowana przez 13 polskich organizacji praw człowieka
The main idea of the project is to show that behind the concept of "foreigner" are specific people: friends, colleagues, teachers, neighbors, and family members. The authors deliberately chose to avoid discussing migration as a political issue and instead focused on personal stories and human relationships
The video centers on Poles discussing their loved ones who have come from other countries. They are unaware that the heroes of their stories are very close by and hear every word. The camera captures not only those sharing their memories but also the emotions of the people to whom these confessions are dedicated.
Among the participants in the video are Polish woman Kasia and her friend José from Bolivia, student Ignacy and his English teacher Mojo from Zimbabwe, animal rights activist Dorota Sumińska and her friend Marina from Ukraine. The video also features the story of Sara — a Polish woman who married a Brazilian and is raising children with him
After the stories, participants are asked how their lives would have changed without those people. Only at that moment do they learn that those individuals have been nearby all along — behind the wall — and heard the sincere words about themselves.
The organizers emphasize that the goal of the campaign is not to divide people into «us» and «them,» but to showcase the real connections that arise between representatives of different cultures. Foreigners are already a part of Polish society: they work, study, create families, and become friends.
The launch of the campaign takes place at a time when the issue of attitudes towards foreigners in Poland is causing increasing debate. In recent weeks, cases of aggression against Ukrainians have been discussed in the country, including an attack on two Ukrainian girls on a bus in Bielsko-Biała.
The creators of «Razem lepiej» believe that the atmosphere in society is shaped by the daily decisions of each individual. In their opinion, it is the people who choose what will define the relationships between them — openness and respect or distrust and alienation.
