Day 5

Today we visit another Caritas center in Krakow.

The tram journey has become quite routine, and Sebastian confidently guides us to our destination on foot.

At the location on Żywiecka 16, we will be informed about the important steps that Ukrainian refugees can complete digitally for registration in Poland. We also see that the assistance for refugees provided by NGOs and charitable organizations is significantly less widespread than it is at home (only in the largest cities).

Otherwise, legal, meaning registered, Ukrainians in Poland have many rights and benefits that are also afforded to the Polish population, thus holding a distinct status among the refugees here. Again, we feel, as we did yesterday, that the initially very positive sentiment of the population towards Ukrainians has recently changed considerably. Our Polish colleagues are very interested in the structures and processes in Germany regarding the handling of incoming refugees from various countries.

At the end, we are shown the facilities in the center where Ukrainian refugees also live.

We sincerely thank you for the very open and appreciative exchange!

In the afternoon, some of us take the opportunity to visit the Wieliczka salt mine, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.