Polish volunteers seek to counter disinformation through cultural exchange

Marcin Piotrowski and the Polish association Folkowisko organized humanitarian aid and cultural projects to support Ukrainian refugees and foster cross-border cooperation.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Piotrowski and his team provided food, transport, and medical care at the Budomierz-Hruszów border crossing. The group expanded these efforts to include a clinic and an educational center in Nakhachiv, where Polish and Ukrainian professionals conduct joint workshops and provide psychological support to displaced families.

The initiative also addresses the painful history of the Volinia region, where violent nationalist conflicts occurred during World War II. These historical grievances are currently being used in Russian disinformation campaigns to fuel hostility between the two nations. Anna Mierzyńska, a Polish journalist and researcher, notes that some online narratives portray Ukrainians as a threat to Polish public services, despite the fact that millions of refugees have sought protection in Poland.

Piotrowski acknowledges that the initial wave of extraordinary solidarity in 2022 faces "empathy exhaustion" as the conflict persists. To counter this, Folkowisko focuses on building trust through direct contact between ordinary citizens. While academic experts like Łukasz Wojtkowski suggest that both nations must still do significant work to reconcile their political and historical narratives, Piotrowski emphasizes that personal relationships between neighbors can prevent the construction of social walls.