About the Civil Affairs Institute
The Civil Affairs Institute is a civic organization independent of political parties.
Since 2004, we have been acting on the side of the citizens.
Our mission is to develop, shape and promote active citizenship.
We dream of Poland of happy citizens who feel responsible for their families, homes, streets, cities and states.
We dream of Poland that makes it easier for citizens to care for the common good and to engage in public life.
We dream of Poland where the authorities listen to citizens and together with them improve the quality of everyday life.
Calendar of events and successes
2004
- On the 2nd of February 2004 we registered the foundation The Civil Affairs Institute.
- We organized the campaign “The European Car-Free Day” under the patronage of the Ministry of Environment. We encouraged 105 Polish cities to take part in this initiative. As a result, we placed third in Europe in terms of the number of cities engaged, after Spain (199 cities) and Austria (166 cities).
2005
- We undertook the pilot project entitled “Citizens’ News Agency” dedicated to civic mobilization and participation.
- Along with the magazine “Obywatel”, we organized the 3rd Citizen Festival under the slogan “Economy for human”, in which senators Kazimierz Jaworski and Marian Zagórny participated. The festival included screening of films entitled “Corporation” and “Crank”.
- We held a celebration of the European Week of Sustainable Transport and the European Car-Free Day. Poland placed fourth in Europe (after Spain, Austria and the Netherlands) in terms of the number of cities taking part in the campaign.
- We supported the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the first Solidarity movement. The event did not rely on any political party, state or union administration.
2006
- We achieved the status of a public benefit organization.
- We began to raise the issue of unpaid household labour. As a part of countrywide network of local female leaders, we organized two urban actions and the Diamond Brush award ceremony during which Szymon Majewski and Halina Sobańska were awarded.
- Along with the magazine “Obywatel” we organized the 4th Citizen Festival. Among others, Ryszard Bugaj (economist and politician) and Krzysztof Wyszkowski (opposition activist, journalist and former editorial secretary of the weekly “Tygodnik Solidarność”) took part in the event.
2007
- We launched the Works Councils Support Centre. Within the Centre we prepared an amendment to act on works councils and organized trainings for members of works councils. In total, we trained more than 1500 people between the years 2007 and 2013.
- We prepared an expert report “Unpaid household labour – how to treat it in order to efficiently build the basis for a caring society?”.
- We released three issues of the magazine “Aktywność obywatelska”. Topics covered in these issues included: “Develop Yourself”, “Left Alone” and “Do it in Your Place!”.
- We moved to another office, in short – we changed our command centre.
2008
- Jointly with Zbigniew Romaszewski, the Deputy Marshal of the Senate, we conducted a debate in the Senate of Poland, which was devoted to works councils. Members of works councils from all over Poland were invited to take part in it.
- We got involved in the three-year international project “Added Value – Sustainable Energy in Transportation”.
- As a part of the initiative “City on the move“ we undertook the project “Make the city catch its breath – the project for the promotion and development of sustainable transport in 100 cities”. We published the guide “Good practices in municipal transport“ by Jacek Wesołowski. It served as the most popular Polish book on city and human friendly transportation.
2009
- We launched the campaign “Natural genes” (today “GMO-free? I want to know“ that included the release of the world’s best selling book “The World According to Monsanto“, the expert report “GMO – what is it about?“ and CD with educational films: “The Ministry of Rice”, “Elements of Truth”, “Threats Hidden in Children’s Meals”.
- We joined the Team for Unpaid Household Labour formed by the MaMa Foundation. Its works ended with submitting recommendations on unpaid work of women to the government.
- Together with several Łódź non-governmental organizations, we launched the initiative “The Citizens of Łódź Decide” in order to make legislative initiatives more accessible for citizens.
2010
- We launched a new edition of the campaign “Trucks on rails“ – which is now known to over a half of Poles. We collected 83 thousand petition signatures to call on the government to turn the slogan “Trucks on rails” into a clear objective and core principle of Polish transport policy. We travelled Poland three times – twice to hold an exhibition supporting the campaign and once to support activities of those who suffer from lorry traffic in the places where they live.
- We were engaged in creating a cycle of reportages on GMO entitled “Food with a foreign gene” in the programme UWAGA! TVN.
- We undertook the project “Academy of the Civil Affairs Institute – trainings, coaching, work practices” to train new community workers. We have have been working with some of them until now.
2011
- We launched the Key Centre – the initiative which is dedicated to social entrepreneurship and aimed at promoting the principle: to BE and to HAVE.
- As a part of the campaign “Home is work“ carried out qualitative research – our co-workers interviewed people who work at home. On that basis we compiled the project “Household Labourers About Themselves”.
- We were invited by the President Bronisław Komorowski to take part in a public consultation on the seed act.
- We organized the press conference with the participation of José Bové, Vice-Chair of the European Parliament Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development and member of the Institute Council.
- Our billboards “Trucks on rails” can be seen in several dozen Polish cities.
2012
- We launched the new campaign “Citizens decide“. We urged political parties to share power and responsibility with citizens.
- We submitted nearly 18 thousand petition signatures to the Ministry of Environment as regards GMO-free products labelling.
- We registered the company Grupa INSPRO sp. z o.o. aimed at gaining resources for our prosocial initiatives. We intended to enhance our financial independence.
- We conducted civic control activities with respect to shale gas exploration and extraction in Poland, as a part of the campaign “Citizens COntrol“.
- On our initiative, the Minister of Transport created the Intermodal Transport Council.
2013
- We motivated citizens’ involvement and gathered nearly 220,000 signatures for a petition aimed at deputies to ease the process of collecting 100,000 signatures in respect to bills that affect citizens.
- Ilona Pietrzak joined the board of Institute.
- We launched the new initiative “Campaigners’ Hotbed“ aimed at supporting community workers who run citizens campaigns for the common good.
- Grupa INSPRO sp. z o.o. achieved its first huge success – we won a tender for the certification process of Gdynia cycling policy following the methodology of the Bicycle Policy Audit (BYPAD).
- We joined Twitter 🙂
2014
- We celebrated the round anniversary – Institute have taken the part of Citizens for 10 years.
- We ran the campaign 1%, with the rapper Liroy, the leading figure who played a spin doctor – Dick Dobrowolski. We were awarded the Golden Clip, the most important award in the PR industry, for the campaign “Dick Dobrowolski – how to spin, how to win”.
- Thanks to Institute’s initiative, the Court of Justice of the European Union ordered Poland to monitor the places where GMOs are cultivated and make the information available to the public.
- On the 16th of October we established the foundation “Campaigners’ Hotbed“.
- After 5 years of struggle we improved the legislative initiative of citizens in Łódź.
2015
- We brought the slogan “Citizens decide” into the public debate. Fun fact: The Prime Minister Beata Szydło used the slogan in her election campaign without our consent.
- Being a part of the coalition in the organization “Stop TTIP” we gathered 40, 000 signatures for the bottom-up European Initiative of Citizens against trade deals of TTIP and CETA – 20% of signatures came from the Institute’s community.
- After 19 years of running our campaign “Trucks on rails” we were glad to see that the party which had won parliamentary elections included the implementation of this idea into its programme.
- We received accreditation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy as the Good Quality Social Economy Support Centre.
- We introduced the idea of the Polish Academy of Civil Service (PASP). Rzeczpospolita daily published additional 4-page article about PASP.
- We were among the five best teams that deal with communication matters in non-governmental organizations. As a result, we were nominated for PRotons 2015 which is considered the most prominent award in the PR sector.
Foundation board
Rafał Górski
is the Chairman of the Board of the Civil Affairs Institute. He is a graduate of the Łódź University of Technology and the University of Łódź, the Coaching Academy and MiniMBA Management Centre. In 1995 he became a community worker. In 2000-2010 he worked for the magazine “Obywatel”. He originated citizencampaignsincluding: “Trucks on rails”, “Citizens decide” and “None of the above”. He is an expert on the Works Councils Support Centre and the KEY Centre (the Social Economy Support Centre). He is also an originator of the Campaigners Hotbed. In 2013-2014 he was a member of the Committee on Social Campaings in the Polish Radio. He is a columnist of the weekly “Tygodnik Solidarność” and works for the portal WszystkoCoNajważniejsze.pl. In his free time he shapes his body, mind and spirit as he gets prepared to “Selection” – a game that imitates the process of troop selection in GROM-like military units.
Ilona Pietrzak
having studied spatial development with a specialization in the field of the human resources regional development and human capital in knowledge-based economy.
She is the Vice-Chairman of the Civil Affairs Institute. She supervises the process of gaining resources in the Institute and the KEY Centre – the accredited Good Quality Social Economy Support Centre. Thanks to the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy she is a certified business advisor for social economy entities. She also graduated from the programme “Non-governmental organizations managers”. She creates campaigns that convey an essential message and, at the same time, shape the image of Institute as a strong and independent organization. She is fond of doing right things, she likes volleyball and happy ends. She is interested in politics and organized crime in Poland. She intends to take over the world 🙂
Our Campaigns:
Civic Affairs weekly
We have registered our weekly Civil Affairs with the court and we have been publishing it every week for over a year.
Editorials, petitions and initiatives presented in Civil Affairs we address, among others, to the supporters of the Institute of Civic Affairs, activists and social organizations (who can also submit for publication texts describing their activities, explaining their point of view and presenting their organizations).
Our social website is aimed at people who care for such issues as health, the impact of modern technologies on our lives, current social events like campaigns of local communities for their “small homelands” (section: local hot spots).
We aim at people who would like to develop skills useful in organizing social activities (section Act!); who would like to participate in social activities, e.g. by signing petitions.
The Civil Affairs weekly can be also a space for readers looking for information not covered by nationwide mainstream media (like spreading information about employee councils in order to strengthen workers’ rights).
Well-known and recognized authors specializing in social issues (Piotr Wójcik, Krzysztof Wołodzko and others) have got involved in cooperation with us. We have conducted dozens of interviews with experts, publicists, decision-makers, such as prof. Jerzy Hausner, prof. Jerzy Wratny, prof. Tadeusz Markowski, senator Krzysztof Kwiatkowski or editor Rafał Woś.
I want to know!
We fight for safe food with no GMO, antibiotics and pesticides.
Goals
- We work towards the introduction of a ban on the use of glyphosate.
- We demand the establishment of the National Food Safety Inspectorate.
- We raise awareness regarding the risks connected with new techniques of genetic engineering (including CRISPR – a gene-editing technology on humans, animals and plants and the gene drive technology).
Achievements
- We launched a campaign titled “No ritual slaughter? I want to know!”, in which we demand labeling a meat that is not derived from this practice. Introducing a “no ritual slaughter” label would make it easier for us, the customers, to shop mindfully. Currently we do not know if we have been purchasing the ritually slaughtered meat this whole time or not. We do not want animals to endure additional suffering and fear during the slaughter.
- We released a consumer report titled “We investigate: Polish beers”, in which we analyze the quality of beers available in the Polish market in terms of presence of pesticide residue, mainly glyphosate. In one of the studied beers, we discovered a 400-fold exceedance of the maximum concentration of glyphosate residue in water – one of the three main ingredients that beers are made from.
- We joined the Living Earth Cooalition (Koalicja Żywa Ziemia) and got involved in their activities. The Coalition is made up of 18 organizations, initiatives and social, agricultural and environmental movements that call for changes in the agricultural and food policies in Poland and the European Union towards an agriculture based on principles of agro-ecology, particularly organic farming.
- We have engaged in activities of two informal coalitions of civic organizations in order to develop a strategy for new genetic engineering technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9. The first coaltion is has an international dimension and was established by Friends of the Earth, bringing together European social organizations. The second one includes organizations from Poland.
Timeline
- 2009–2010 – We launched a campaign and participated in the work on the series of reports about GMO titled “Food with a foreign gene” for the UWAGA! TVN show.
- 2014 – Thanks to our involvement, the Court of Justice of the European Union demanded that the GMO crops in Poland are monitored and the information is publicized.
- 2015 – As a part of the civic organization coalition called „STOP TTIP”, we collected 40 000 signatures within the European Citizens’ Initiative against the TTIP and CETA trade agreements – 20% of those signatures came from our community.
- 2016 – We carried out the „We are all guinea pigs. You are one, too!” action, the purpose of which is to collect a public support to introduce marking a food „Non-GMO”. The campagin ad has gathered more than 250 000 viewers and the petition was signed by almost 20 000 people.
- 2018 – We started a signature campain to the PM Mateusz Morawiecki regarding a restriction in the use of glyphosate (a herbicide ingredient) in cities and public spaces. We achieved our first successes – for example, the city of Toruń introduced a total ban on the use of Roundup herbicide and other ones containing glyphosate in urban green areas.
- 2019 – We called the Marshal of the Sejm for an urgent resumption of work on the governmental bill of the State Food Safety Inspection (form no. 1685). The draft has been put on hold since July 4, 2017.
- 2019 – We won the fight for the consumers’ rights to information. After 10 years of civic campaign titled „Non-GMO? I want to know!”, the deputees gave the go-ahead for the bill on marking a food „Non-GMO”, which entered into force in the beginning of 2020.
- 2020 – We launched a “No ritual slaughter? I want to know!” campaign, in which we demand labeling a meat that is not derived from this practice. Introducing a “no ritual slaughter” label would make it easier for us, the customers, to shop mindfully. Currently we do not know if we have been purchasing the ritually slaughtered meat this whole time or not. We do not want animals to endure additional suffering and fear during the slaughter.
- 2020 – We released a consumer report titled “We investigate: Polish beers”, in which we analyze the quality of beers available in the Polish market in terms of presence of pesticide residue, mainly glyphosate. In one of the studied beers, we discovered a 400-fold exceedance of the maximum concentration of glyphosate residue in water – one of the three main ingredients that beers are made from.
- 2020 – We joined the Living Earth Cooalition (Koalicja Żywa Ziemia) and got involved in their activities. The Coalition is made up of 18 organizations, initiatives and social, agricultural and environmental movements that call for changes in the agricultural and food policies in Poland and the European Union towards an agriculture based on principles of agro-ecology, particularly organic farming.
- 2020 – We have engaged in activities of two informal coalitions of civic organizations in order to develop a strategy for new genetic engineering technologies such as CRISPR-Cas9. The first coaltion is has an international dimension and was established by Friends of the Earth, bringing together European social organizations. The second one includes organizations from Poland.
- 2021 – Along with the Consumer Foundation we released the following consumer reports: „Consumers test out: „Konsumenci testują: buckwheat – does it contain glyphosate?” and “Consumers test out: millet grains – does it contain glyphosate?”, in which we analyzed the quality of groats available in the Polish market in terms of presence of glyphosate. In 4 samples (3 of them contained different kinds of millet grains and the fourth one had buckwheat groats) we detected a concentration of glyphosate above the acceptable maximum level (MRLs).
Trucks on Tracks
The „Trucks on Tracks” campaign mobilises citizens and decision makers to fight for transportation policies that are healthy for people and the environment. We are fighting for a people- and environment-friendly transport policy. We campaign for more goods to be transported by rail. We advocate for applying the rules of „user pays” and „polluter pays” in the transportation industry. We support lowering the rates for access to railway infrastructure for intermodal transport. We think that covering the medical costs of the casualties, noise and gas emissions by the society is unjust. We strongly oppose the elimination of more railway lines.
„Trucks on Tracks” is a campaign from which Institute of Civil Affairs took shape. Research shows that this topic is important to 9 out of 10 Polish citizens. Throughout 2010 and 2011 we have conducted a large initiative that aimed at providing information with the use of radio advertisement and billboards. We have toured Poland twice with our exposition. Our petition was signed by over 80,000 people. Bartłomiej Topa, Hirek Wrona, Stanisław Sojka, Magdalena Popławska and the Ani Mru Mru cabaret, among others, became the ambassadors of this campaign.
We have prepared an expert report „Trucks on Tracks, goods for trains” („Tiry na tory, towary na kolej”) and organised a series of conferences. We are cooperating with local communities that suffer from the expansion of truck traffic.
For such communities, we have prepared a practical guide „Trucks to rails – a guide of fighting communities” („Tiry na tory – poradnik walczących społeczności”). Thanks to our petition, the ministerial Intermodal Transportation Council (Rada ds. Transportu Intermodalnego) was formed. Currently we are focusing on advocacy. The execution of the „Trucks to rails” idea was written into the election programme of the ruling party.
We also cooperate with a European federation called „Transport & Environment”, which campaigns for sustainable transportation. Working together with T&E, we convinced the European Union to speed up the introduction of new lorry cabs, safer for other road users.
We currently focus on conducting advocacy activities, including meeting with policy makers and participating in consultations on relevant legislation.
It is worth mentioning that the implementation of the ” Trucks on tracks” idea has a very large social support. A nationwide survey commissioned by us shows that 87% of those surveyed think that the idea of „trucks on tracks” is needed in Poland. 91% of respondents think that lorries are a threat to the state of the roads. 76% of Poles think that lorries disturb other drivers.
Timeline
- 1996 – we started a civic campaign „Tiry na tory” („Trucks on tracks”) carried out between 1996 and 2003 with the support of Rockefeller Brothers Fund and in cooperation with the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy
- 1998 – we take an active part in the civil disobedience action in defence of the „Góra Św. Anny” Landscape Park against the construction of the A4 motorway
- 2002 – we help farmers set up the Association of Farmers Expropriated and Disadvantaged by the Motorway and Expressway Construction Programme
- 2010 – we launched a new edition of our most popular campaign ” Trucks on tracks” – more than half of Poles are familiar with it. We are collecting 83 thousand signatures under a petition calling on the government to make the slogan „trucks on tracks” the goal and principle of Polish transport policy. We travel around Poland three times – twice with an exhibition supporting the campaign, and a third time to support the actions of communities suffering from the passage of lorries under their homes
- 2012 – on our initiative, the Minister of Transport appoints the Intermodal Transport Council
- 2014 – working together with T&E, we convinced the European Union to speed up the introduction of new lorry cabs, safer for other road users
- 2015 – after 19 years of running our ” Trucks on tracks” campaign, the party that won the parliamentary elections (Law and Justice) has the implementation of this idea in its programme – and literally!
- 2018 – we managed to convince Poland’s biggest industry association, the International Road Hauliers Association (ZMPD), which groups together about 4500 companies, to jointly support the first-ever EU legislation setting CO2 emission standards for trucks. Together with other signatories of this unique coalition, we sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Poland on this issue
- 2019 – „Billions of zlotys to finally get tiry trucks on the tracks” is the title from the January issue of the daily newspaper Rzeczpospolita. The Centre for EU Transport Projects reports that more than PLN 2.5 billion is to go towards strengthening intermodal transport in Poland. CUPT will co-finance the purchase of a total of 3409 wagons-platforms to carry containers. 23 years of our civic campaign „Tiry na tory” brings results
- 2020 – The Road and Bridge Research Institute has prepared the most recent calculations for the „Tracks to Tracks” campaign: it turns out that the passage of 1 lorry affects the road surface as much as the passage of 3 200 000 passenger cars
Citizens decide
We fight for democracy in which citizens decide more often than at elections.
Goals
- Changing Citizen Initiative Act
- Amending the local and national referendum laws in line with the idea of “Referendums for citizens, not parties”.
- Demanding an amendment to the Electoral Code and the introduction of a 'none of the above’ box on the ballot paper.
Timeline
- 2012 – we launch the campaign. During the first two years, we drafted an amendment to the Citizen Initiative Act, we collected signatures for a petition to facilitate the Citizens’ Legislative Initiative, and our spot on YouTube was watched over 1,700,000 times.
- 2014 – we change the local citizens’ initiative in Łódź for the better. It took us 5 years, but persistence and stubbornness brought success! We conduct the campaign „Enough ignoring” with the participation of actress Julia Kamińska, in which 15,000 people held politicians accountable for their election promises.
- 2016 – we strengthen the competences of 10 local activists in running civic campaigns using participatory democracy tools (e.g. citizen’s bills, referendums, citizen’s budget).
- 2017 – we hand over to the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, more than 223 thousand signatures under the petition about introduction of facilitations for citizens’ initiative.
- 2018 – the final of our campaign: #TwoTermOfOffice. For several years we collected signatures under the petition, talked to politicians and the media, explained and reminded the topic wherever we could. These activities brought results – today in Poland we have two-term mayors.
- 2019 – we start a project devoted to the Citizens’ Legislative Initiative, which we implement in partnership with the University of Gdańsk – Department of Constitutional Law and Political Institutions and the University of Łódź – Centre for Electoral Studies. The project is financed by the National Centre for Research and Development
- 2020 – We have prepared a new draft of Citizen Initiative Act which, among other things, includes the collection of signatures via the Internet. We have submitted it to the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, to bring it to the parliament.
- 2021 – we run the social campaign „What kind of Pole are you?”, which promotes the involvement of citizens in public decision making through a Citizens’ Legislative Initiative
Social Economy Support Center
We strengthen the non-governmental sector, develop social entrepreneurship, and support local communities.
We operate since 2011. On a regular basis, we help over 100 NGOs in everyday functioning and developing their social and business activities.
Goals
- Supporting leaders in receiving funds from four sources – individual donors, business donors, grants and economic activity.
- Creating new workplaces in social enterprises.
- Engaging in the creation of systemic solutions that strengthen civic activity, e.g. changes in the mechanism of 1% personal income tax, 1% CIT for public benefit organizations.
Timeline
- 2012–2020 – we created 150 new workplaces in social enterprises. We help socially excluded people, who are in need to return to the labor market, get a job in social enterprises. We help to reintegrate employees professionally and socially.
We helped to create 49 NGOs and social enterprises. - 2015 – By the resolution of the Minister of Family and Social Policy, we have received the status of accredited High Quality Social Economy Support Centre. Since then, every year we undergo an audit to verify the quality of our support.
We launched a website Bank of Knowledge (Bank Wiedzy https://bankwiedzy.org/) for public benefit organizations that professionalizes their activities in the field of fundraising campaigns.
We were nominated for the PRotony 2015 award, recognized as one of the most important awards in the PR industry. Thus, we are among the top five communication teams in non-governmental organizations. - 2017 – As a result of our advocacy, the Ministry of Finance have made it easier for old age and disability pensioners to transfer 1% of their tax.
Citizens’ Initiative Fund (FIO) and Civic Organization Development Program (PROO) have included our recommendations on support for fundraising activities. - 2020 – We started the project „Academy of the Institute of Civic Affairs”, in which we will strengthen social activists in terms of changing the law at the local and national level.
We started the # 1ProcentOdFirm campaign to introduce an additional mechanism to support social organizations – 1% of CIT. More than 2,000 people / NGOs have signed the petition to support the implementation of this new tax mechanism. In cooperation with Jakub Wygnański, we prepared an expert opinion on the introduction of this mechanism into the Polish legal system. We made contact with Slovak experts who, as the only country in Europe, decided to introduce this solution to their tax law. We are in the process of advocacy activities. We had meetings with advisers to the President of the Republic of Poland. - 2021 – We started the project „Academy of the Institute of Civil Affairs as the key to the labor market”, in which we help young people who have lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to start their own business. By implementing this project, we want to help people who have been severely affected by the situation on the labor market during the pandemic.
Social Economy Support Centre The KEY Centre is run by the Institute of Civil Affairs.
Workers’ Councils Support Center
We help workers’ councils and employers in dialogue and in finding the best solutions for companies.
Goals
- Strengthening workers’ councils whose members are elected from among the entire staff in the company.
- Acting to amend the act on informing employees and conducting consultations with them.
- Shaping the culture of social dialogue in workplaces.
Timeline
- 2006 – We participated in the work of the parliament on the draft act on informing employees and conducting consultations with them (Act on Workers’ Councils).
- 2007 – We established the Workers’ Councils Support Center, which is the only one in Poland that offers free consultancy for workers’ councils.
Since 2007 we organized training sessions attended by over 1,600 people from 500 councils. - 2014 – We submitted a complaint to the European Commission, in which we request that the Commission review the implementation by the Polish government of Directive 2002/14 / EC on workers’ councils.
- 2015 – We prepared a draft amendment to the Act on Workers’ Councils based on nationwide public consultations.
- 2016 – We organized the 1st National Forum of Workers 'Councils, as part of which members of the councils signed an appeal to Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki to amend the Act on Workers’ Councils.
- 2017 – Thanks to our activities, the National Labor Inspectorate inspects companies in terms of compliance with the Act on Workers’ Councils.
- 2019 – We organized the 2nd National Forum of Workers’ Councils at the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Lodz.
The Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy is analyzing the provisions of the current Act on Workers’ Councils and has announced the preparation of a draft amendment to it.
Citizens Control
We keep an eye on political and business authorities
Goals
- In association with the Campaigners Hotbed, we control the issue of electromagnetic fields and radiation (EMF) and the activities of telecom industries.
- We monitor activities of corporations in the chemical and pharmaceutical sector.
- We keep an eye on the Directive on Informing and Consulting Employees (so-called Works Council Act).
Timeline
- 2012-2013 – We accomplish the project “Shale gas – monitoring, civic mobilization and participation”.
- 2014 – We submit a complaint to the European Commission, in which we request for review the Polish government’s implementation of 2002/14/WE Directive.
- 2014-2015 – We manage the project “Citizens control – good energy guards” devoted to water resources protection in the process of exploration and exploitation of shale gas.
- 2017 – Due to our efforts, the National Labour Inspectorate carry out an inspection related to respecting the Works Council Act among companies.
- 2018 – We make remarks on The Act on Supporting the Development of Telecommunications Services and Networks (lub Development of Telecom Services and Networks Support and Other Amendments Act ?)
- 2019 – We forward our expertise “MEGAUSTAWA 5G – Is this book really white?” to the President, the Prime Minister and all the deputies.
- 2019 – We collect nearly 3500 signatures for a petition to the Minister of Health against raising the limits of electromagnetic radiation (EMF) from 7V / m to 61V / m for mobile phone transmitters.
- 2020 – We prepare the expertise „Save the Children! Technological education – e-addictions and electromagnetic radiation”, which aims to warn about health, social and political impacts of the unlimited use of smartphones and wireless networks.
- 2020 – We publish and distribute 20.000 copies of free community newspaper “Civic Engagement” devoted to electromagnetic fields and radiation (EMF).
- 2021 – Together with a wide range of scientists and politicians, we participate in the 5th debate of the Parliamentary Group on Child Cyber Security.
Campaigners Hotbed
We form, network and strengthen social activists who conduct grassroots campaigns.
Goals
- We provide knowledge on how to win grassroots campaigns.
- We network campaigners (networking).
- We create a space for the exchange of experiences, knowledge and contacts.
Timeline
- 2013 – We organize the first edition of the Campaigners Hotbed, which includes a weekly training course and a congress for activists. We also publish the „Campaigners Hotbed” guide.
- 2014 – We establish the Campaigners Hotbed Foundation, using experience in campaigns conducted by the The Civil Affairs Institute since 2004.
- 2015 – We organize the 2nd edition of the Campaigners Hotbed – during a one-week course, we teach 13 people from all over Poland how to effectively conduct grassroots campaigns. We equip them with the knowledge, tools, network of contacts as well as the support of a professional coach so that they are able to manage their individual activities just like professionals.
- 2016 – We publish the „Campaigners Hotbed 2”, which includes interviews with activists from Poland and all over the world. It is a source of knowledge, inspiration and experience.
- 2017 – We organize the 3rd edition of the Campaigners Hotbed – an intensive training course for activists and a congress allowed participants to expand their knowledge, establish contacts, exchange experiences and motivate them to continue taking further action.
- 2018 – We organize the 4th edition of the Campaigners Hotbed.
- 2019 – During the 4th Campaigners Hotbed Congress, we give statuettes in three categories: Campaigner of the Year, Local Campaign and National Campaign.
The awards go to: Damiana Barańska – retired teacher, founder of the „Przystanek” Neighbors’ Club in Łódź; protest organizers against the harmful actions of the Kronospan factory in Mielec; The Jagiellonian Club for an effective campaign against the change in the electoral system to the European Parliament. - 2020 – We train 52 activists all over Poland in the field of EMF as part of the project “SAVE CHILDREN! Stop EMF” to give them knowledge and tools to run their individual local campaigns more effectively.
- 2020 – We publish and distribute 20.000 copies of free community newspaper “Civic Engagement” devoted to electromagnetic fields and radiation (EMF) to help people understand this complicated invisible issue. Our aim is to warn about health, social and political impacts of the unlimited use of smartphones and wireless networks.
The Academy of the Civil Affairs Institute
The Academy of the Civil Affairs Institute is a project under which we strengthen social activists from non-governmental organizations who, in their activities, use or want to use the law as a „tool” for social change.
We support activists in planning and using the law in the activities of the organization. We organize their knowledge and motivate them to continue working.
So far, we have supported over 150 people from 140 organizations from all over Poland.
During one of the training sessions, we developed recommendations for the Act on Social Employment, which will be presented Ministry of Family and Social Policy.
Goals
- We form attitudes, develop skills and provide knowledge to citizens who take initiatives for the common good.
- We strengthen the participants of the Academy by including them in the network of contacts and relations as well as inter-institutional cooperation.
- We equip leaders with practical tools useful on the fronts of public service.
The Academy is for everyone, regardless of political views, because Poland is common – neither ours nor yours. Trainings are conducted by experts, social activists, politicians and local government officials.
If you want to know more check our website https://akademia.instytutsprawobywatelskich.pl/
Regional Center of International Debate in Łódź 2019–2022
We introduced the inhabitants of the Lodzkie Voivodship to Polish foreign policy and international affairs.
Goals
- We organized meetings, debates and events in the Lodzkie Voivodship, which are an opportunity to discuss foreign policy in the region.
- We increased the awareness of young people in international affairs.
- We were strengthening the channels of cooperation between the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, universities, local government and non-governmental organizations.
Timeline
2019:
- March – debate „20 years of Poland in NATO. Are we safe?” with the participation of prof. Andrzej Zybertowicz, advisor to the National Security Bureau and advisor to the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda.
- June – debate „Green EXPO 2024 – opportunities and threats. Do the inhabitants of Łódź decide?” with the participation of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture prof. dr hab. Piotr Gliński.
- July – Jacek Bartosiak’s lecture „Strategic flows, or about power and geopolitics”.
- September – debate on Polish-American military cooperation with the participation of Polish Minister of Foreign Affairs Jacek Czaputowicz at the 32nd Tactical Air Base in Łask.
- November – 1st Geopolitical Forum in Łódź. The event was attended by, among others, Michał Lubina, Bartłomiej Radziejewski, Leszek Sykulski, Radosław Pyffel, Witold Jurasz.
2020:
- February – December – We organized online educational activities for young people. It was an opportunity to talk with young people about international affairs and Polish foreign policy.
- March – December – Cooperation with the most popular Polish publishing houses. The aim of the publication of excerpts and book reviews was to promote reading and interest in the challenges of the modern world.
- August – October – A series of thematic city walks around Łódź. The inhabitants of Łódź and the region learned about the rich history of the voivodeship capital, among others: film, literary and industrial sectors. The cycle of walks was an opportunity to promote the region and the city.
- November – We organized the 2nd Geopolitical Forum in Łódź online. The event was attended, among others, by Bogdan Góralczyk, Leszek Sykulski, Elżbieta Mączyńska, Andrzej Zybertowicz, Maciej Kawecki and the author of our monthly columns, Radosław Pyffel.
- December – The premieres of the game „Cyberpunk 2077” by the Polish studio CD Projekt RED. The game’s debut was an opportunity to talk with representatives of the gaming industry and the world of science: Agnieszka Borysiuk (Gry-OnLine.pl), Izabela Pogiernicka (9Kier) from CD-Action Magazine and Dr. Katarzyna Prajzner (University of Łódź).