City Places of refuge

In a text published a decade ago, Barber drew attention to features common to cities around the world, specified as the crystallized civic trust, visible participation, pragmatism in management or indifference to borders, as well as sovereignty, predispositions to networking or social innovation.

You don't request to know Benjamin Barber's book, If the mayors ruled the world. Disfunctional countries, flourishing cities (MUZA, 2014) to see the social-political alternate that modern-day rulers and inhabitants of agglomerations create. For the record, in a text published a decade ago, Barber pointed to the features common to cities around the world, specified as the crystallized civic trust, visible participation, pragmatism in management or indifference to borders, as well as sovereignty, predispositions to networking or social innovation. Barber, the erudite, pointed out to us the presidents and mayors, effectively resolving, though, of course, transnational problems.

Let us repeat: networking, trust, pragmatism, indifference to borders, civic commitment and creativity. It is besides significant, adjectives which researchers of social phenomena and migration specialists utilized to describe the reaction in the first weeks of the full-scale war in Ukraine. erstwhile they drew attention to various forms of solidarity between cities, not only Polish and Ukrainian: direct humanitarian aid, political support, establishing fresh relations or organizing manifestations. According to prof. Kamiński, “[...] at the beginning of the exile crisis, local authorities frequently acted more efficiently and faster than central authorities, being a leading force in providing assistance to those in need. However, this was possible thanks to the immense engagement of local communities." This has been the case despite many of the challenges faced by local administrations, which we frequently inactive include, for example, a deficiency of adequate financial resources to supply assistance; unclear legal conditions; the request for effective and full-scale coordination of the work of offices and departments; but besides difficulties in cooperation with under-defined roles and competences of global organisations.

Behind researchers from the Centre for Migration Research, we can say that “the Polish State has faced an unprecedented challenge related towith the request to accept a large number of refugees from the war-torn Ukraine, which could not compare with any erstwhile experiences of the Polish public administration and NGOs in the fresh past of Poland". The Answer to Which Many Becameresidents of cities, there has been unprecedented mobilisation of local government units of various levels, NGOs, but, above all, the activity of civilian society.

Why, in the face of the current crisis – the migration, right-humanity and political crisis on the border with Belarus – are we returning to events from railway platforms and stations of Polish cities from 841 days ago? [1] due to the fact that the author believes that the current crisis is part of a more active function (large) of cities, their inhabitants and local authorities. The function in the process of legislative changes (international and national) and in the organisation of residences for persons who have obtained the right to reside in the territory of the Republic of Poland, but which bring with them the experience of forced migration.

Activation in this field, e.g. the Union of Polish Metropolis – a foundation founded by the municipalities (whose council are presidents of 12 central cities of Polish metropolises) – would not be unprecedented. During the pandemic, the Union played an crucial function in the negotiations with Warsaw, and 5 cities of the Union are besides part of a unique global network worldwide International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN).

The network was established in 2005 in Norway at the initiative of Salman Rushdi – the celebrated author Satan’s Textswhich sparked violent protests in the muslim world. It is an independent organization focusing cities and regions offering shelter for persecuted writers and writers, promoting freedom of speech and defending democratic values. It creates a dynamic network of over 80 cities, and its activity is 1 of the world's strongest voices in defence of the right to freedom of opinion and expression and global solidarity. Over a twelve years, the Network has managed to find a temporary refuge for respective 100 writers and writers, intellectuals and intellectuals, artists and artists and human rights activists and activists.

ICORN protects and promotes human rights defenders, including bloggers, novelists, playwrights, journalists, musicians, poets, fiction writers, visual artists, cartoonists, singers and songwriters, translators, writers and publishers. utilizing digital and social media to scope audiences they had no access to before, while utilizing local networks and ICORN, their voices can be heard by fresh audiences in and outside host cities.

Networked cities can be a origin of many solutions – ICORN is both decentralised and coordinated. The Stavanger Secretariat in Norway serves as a communication centre for independently managed ICORNA associate cities. The global Board consists of representatives of associate cities (including Krakow), elected by the General Assembly all 2 years. The network besides cooperates effectively with national governments, the European Commission, the UN and UNHCR and the global PEN Club, Reporters Without Borders, Scholars at Risk, Freemuse, Frontline Defenders, Free Dimensional andmany another human rights organisations and the implementation of a protection policy for creators persecuted due to their activities, literary creativity, views.

Since 2010, ICORN has been active in applicable projects by the European Parliament and the European Commission, as well as in an EU initiative to make a global asylum strategy for human rights defenders. ICORN associate cities offer long-term, but temporary shelter to persons threatened by the direct consequences of their creative activities. Throughout the network's activities, respective 100 opinion leaders, dissidents and writers, intellectuals, bloggers and human rights activists, including Swietlana Aleksievich, Amira Al Sharafi, Lawon Barszczewski, Asli Erdogan, Jiao Guobiao, have found their place of temporary refuge. GroupThe cities cooperating within the network include: Amsterdam (Netherlands), Barcelona (Spain), Bergen (Norway), Brussels (Belgium), Copenhagen (Denmark), Frankfurt (Germany), Lucerne (Switzerland), Malmö (Sweden), Mexico (Mexico), Molde (Norway), Norrköping (Sweden), Nörrköing (Sweden), Norwich (UK), Oaxaca (Mexico), Oslo (Norway), Paris (France), Pittsburgh (United States).

Finally, it is worth mentioning that smaller cities (most Swedish or Norwegian cities) are besides part of the network, in addition to large recognizable cities, which is besides close to the thought of a place of refuge and freedom of speech. Through their participation in this global project, they can benefit from the work done know-how, But besides thanks to lobbying, real influence on global processes. As Beniamin Barber wanted – actively, though according to his scale, from the city level to solve transnational problems.

[1] The text was submitted on 13.06.2024.