The "We Are 60 Million" campaign, launched at Polish Radio’s Warsaw headquarters on Tuesday, aims to spread information about Polish communities abroad and bring Poland closer to people of Polish ancestry living outside the country.
The drive brings together Poland’s public radio and television broadcasters and selected other news media, among them the state news agency PAP, alongside organisations that work for the benefit of Polish communities abroad and institutions such as the Polish President’s Office and the upper house of parliament.
Polish Radio CEO Andrzej Rogoyski said at the launch of the campaign that "Polish Radio is deeply rooted in the beautiful tradition of staying in touch with Poles abroad" and that it “aims to help build a community of Poles, not only those living in Poland, but also those based abroad.”
Rogoyski also said that Polish Radio aimed to establish contact with Polish community broadcasters around the world and that “this is already happening."
Polish upper-house Speaker Stanisław Karczewski told those at the launch that the campaign sought to encourage expats to weigh their options and come back home.
He voiced hope that many young people of Polish origin “will fall in love with Poland” and “come here to study, establish families and work with us to build the country’s future together.”
The signatories to the "We Are 60 Million" campaign; Polish Radio CEO Andrzej Rogoyski fourth from right. Photo: Robert Bartosewicz/Polish Radio
Many Poles living abroad might find it worthwhile coming back because a wealth of new opportunities is available in their home country, panelists said at a conference last year.
Poland is prospering, wages are rising and the job market is improving, officials told expatriate Poles at the Krynica Economic Forum in southern Poland in September.
According to some estimates, the Polish community abroad numbers around 20 million people, roughly half the country’s population.
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Source: IAR