Open World delegation from Rzeszów in Florida

Open World Program delegation from the City of Rzeszów visited Florida this October. Rzeszów, who is Sister City of Gainesville, was highly impacted by the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in February 2022. The estimates says that 100,000 Ukrainian refugees, have come to Rzeszów in the first weeks of the war. Rzeszów is the largest city in southeastern Poland with the population over 196,000.

Rzeszów City Hall officials had variety of meetings related to Refugee Integration theme.

Delegates could talk with director Don Fitzpatrick of ESOL Program from School Board about process of refugee student integration into the public schools system, meet with students and professors in the University of Florida and Santa Fe College in Gainesville.

Mayor of Gainesville Mr. Lauren Poe and his team presented to the delegates the Gainesville Immigration Neighbor Inclusion Initiative. Mr. Poe handed over a check for $20,860 raised in Gainesville community for Ukrainian refugee relief to the City of Rzeszów. The funds were collected within 12 hours as part of the Amazing Give event held by the Community Foundation of North Central Florida.

This meeting has aroused much interest in the local media. There were interviews and media reports.

One of the most exciting experiences was possibility to visit courtroom during hearing of the detainees conducted by Judge Thomas Jaworski, in the Alachua County Criminal Court in Gainesville. 

Open World Program Delegates had also opportunity to visit St. Agustine – the oldest City in the USA – which faced with joy and enthusiast among all members of the group. Delegates also went to Jacksonville to have a chance to talk with different NGOs dealing with immigrants and refugee issues.  They visited Orlando where they had fun on the Island of Adventure by Universal Studio.