Poland: Youth Art and Activism

Podlasie, Poland: 7 June 2024

In the Podlasie Region of Poland, the civil society organization, Egala, addresses the humanitarian crisis on the Polish-Belarusian border by conducting artistic activism workshops for youth. Targeting 14 to 18-year-olds, it aims to empower activists in countering disinformation and fear surrounding migrants. As part of their project, supported by a MARIO grant from MRG, Egala organized an exhibition featuring works created by young people from the Podlasie region. The exhibition attracted many visitors throughout the week it was on display.

The exhibition included banners with slogans like ‘helping is legal’ and ‘no person is illegal’. painted clothes adorned with messages of solidarity, and a striking iceberg installation representing the visible and hidden aspects of the migration crisis. Other works included a thought-provoking cardboard question ‘What if?’ addressing the plight of refugees, a poem titled ‘Music box and noise’ critiquing the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border, and a tree symbolizing the silent suffering of nature and migrants affected by border militarization. The exhibition also displayed items crucial for survival, such as NRC foil, soup jars, backpacks with essential supplies, and photographs highlighting the efforts of activists and humanitarian workers aiding migrants.

The event coincided with the time of mourning for the Polish soldier recently deceased at the border. Anti-migrant sentiments have returned to daily life throughout Poland and Podlasie. The aversion to people providing support has increased again, with harmful comments on social media about those performing their duties in the hospital and in the forest. The services abuse violence against people who have crossed the border, but the media’s narrative still elevates the value of a white man’s life. We know about 82 victims of the humanitarian crisis, but we do not know how many people died in the forests on both sides of the border.