Kraków - On January 24, 2024, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Poland inaugurated an office in Kraków, more than thirty guests, including representatives of the City of Kraków, Voivodeship Office, diplomats, public institutions, Police, the Border Guards, UN agencies, civil society, national press, academia and community organizations and community representatives, attended the event.  

IOM Poland Chief of Mission, Lívia Styp-Rekowska, opens the Kraków Sub-Office with Mr. Mateusz Płoskonka, Deputy Director of the Department of Social Policy and Health of the City of Kraków.  © IOM 2024/Alexey SHIVRIN 

“Today marks a significant day for IOM as it seeks to increase its footprint in Kraków and strengthen its multisectoral support for populations on the move and the people of Kraków. This office will also act as a hub for IOM's programming in Małopolska, and the neighboring Podkarpackie, Śląskie, Lubelskie and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships,” said IOM Poland Chief of Mission, Lívia Styp-Rekowska. 

Together with Mr. Mateusz Płoskonka, representing the Municipality of Kraków, they officially inaugurated the office in Kraków.  

Mr. Płoskonka emphasized that although IOM is opening its regional headquarters in Kraków only now, the city’s officials have already had the opportunity to cooperate with the organization’s representatives for several years already.  

“This is invaluable help and support, especially in these times. Cooperation with such organizations and the opportunity to be a member of the United Nations community gives us the chance to benefit from their great experience, as well as to put their knowledge into practice. And it is very much needed, especially after the events that took place after February 24, 2022," said Mr. Płoskonka. 

Livia Styp- Rekowska, Magdalena Kuska with the representatives from the Border Guards, Lieutenant Colonels Grzegorz Otręba and Winicjusz Tęczar  
© IOM 2024/Alexey SHIVRIN 

Poland has been a Member State of IOM since 1992, with the opening of the national office in Warsaw taking place in 2002. After the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine in 2022, IOM opened another office in Rzeszów. As the second anniversary of the full-scale war approaches, IOM Poland, in close coordination with the Government of Poland, has scaled up its activities with the opening of a third office, in Kraków, with the aim of providing comprehensive support to refugees and migrants, as well as the host community.  IOM’s presence in Kraków enhances the organisation’s operational reach throughout Poland, complementing its exisiting offices, mobile teams, as well as DTM(Data & Research Unit) in Gdańsk,Warsaw,Przemyśl and Rzeszów.  

“While everyone is hopeful that the conflict in Ukraine ends tomorrow, there is still a lot of work ahead of us, and we stand ready to support all those who find themselves in a difficult situation. Whether they want to stay here or return to their homes,” adds the IOM Poland Chief of Mission.  

A short reception was held following the opening ceremony.  © IOM 2024/Alexey SHIVRIN 

IOM Poland staff members in Kraków.  © IOM 2024/Alexey SHIVRIN 

In 2023, IOM Poland reached over 183,000 individuals and supported 117 collective sites with services. In cooperation with the Małopolska Social Economy Fund, IOM Poland’s Kraków Integration Center provides a range of services, including language courses, job and entrepreneurship counselling, childcare, psychological assistance, and integration-focused events. Over the past year, IOM has also provided comprehensive training packages for employees of various public institutions in Kraków and supported collective sites throughout the region.  

For media information, please contact Ewelina Kawczynska, Public Information Coordinator for IOM Poland: ekawczynska@iom.int