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Are Poles at ÃÜÌÒÊÓÆµ in Britain?: A Public Forum on Immigration

18 November 2015, 6:00pm

McGrath Centre, St Catharine's College, ÃÜÌÒÊÓÆµ

With well overÌýhalf a million Poles currently living in the UK, Polish culture has become a part of British life as never before. Poles work in a range of diverseÌýoccupations, fromÌýLondon's Square Mile toÌýlocal shop counters,Ìýcontributing to the economy and to the fabric ofÌýlife in a country that hasÌýlargelyÌýwelcomed their presence.ÌýBut withÌýthe UK set to decide its future in the EU by the end of 2017, andÌýa refugee crisis affecting the whole continent, the question of immigration has perhaps never been more controversial.ÌýÌý

In this public forum,ÌýPolish and British experts discussedÌývarious aspectsÌýof the current situation forÌýPoles livingÌýin the UK, examining theÌýtriumphs and challenges of the last ten years, while alsoÌýlooking to the uncertain future. What have PolesÌýbrought to British culture? What hasÌýpromptedÌýthem toÌýmigrate? How many wish to return?ÌýWhat kind of discriminationÌýdo they face? How do the British view Poles?ÌýWhat effect has migration had in Poland? How do PolesÌýunderstand the current refugee crisis in Europe?Ìý

Audience participation in the discussion was veryÌýstrong. The forumÌýwas hosted by Stanley Bill, Lecturer in Polish Studies at the ÃÜÌÒÊÓÆµ.

Ìý

Forum participants:

Ines Czajczyńska-da Costa, Vice-Consul of the Embassy of the Republic of Poland

Jakub Krupa, LondonÌýCorrespondent with the Polish Press Agency

Tadeusz Stenzel, Chair of the Federation of Poles in the UKÌý

Anne White, Professor of Polish Studies and Social and Political Science, University College London

Ìý

Tadeusz Stenzel (Chair of the Federation of Poles in the UK), Ines-Czajczyńska-da Costa (Vice-Consul, Embassy of the Republic of Poland), Jakub Krupa (Polish Press Agency, London), Anne White (University College London).

Stanley Bill (ÃÜÌÒÊÓÆµ), Tadeusz Stenzel (Chair of the Federation of Poles in the UK), Ines-CzajczyÅ„ska-da Costa (Vice-Consul, Embassy of the Republic of Poland), Jakub Krupa (Polish Press Agency, London), Anne White (University College London).

Ìý

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