Medical University of Gdańsk is a university open to the world and to the people. Our international students come from more than 65 countries. Recognizing our social responsibility for fostering and reinforcing the desirable values both within and outside of our academic community, and also wishing to strengthen our environment and the position of the Medical University of Gdańsk (MUG) in Poland and abroad, we are announcing the commencement of the year of communication and integration, a period of a particular focus on improving and developing these processes, for the sake of successful functioning of our academic community. The coordinator of this project is the Internationalization Office and most of the activities will be carried out with the funds obtained under the Welcome to Poland competition of the National Agency for Academic Exchange.

For this 12-month period we have planned over 70 activities and events of various kinds: cultural, sports, discussions, support actions, and celebrations, all of them open and available to all the members of our community. We will have a Rector’s Cup charity football tournament, we will do yoga training together, we shall become more familiar with cultures, literature and customs of various countries, we will celebrate festive days together, enjoy conversations over cup of coffee during Integration Coffee meetings, we will have fun together at an integration party, and more.

The year of communication and integration will commence at the break of October with a debate on respect and vital values, with participation of renowned expert speakers and our professors and students. This event will both conclude the ongoing Educational- informational campaign Culture of Respect and open the Year of Communication and Intercultural Integration of the MUG Community.

Please, accept our warm invitation to join the events, especially those which appeal to you the most. Let us keep getting to know each other better, let us reinforce our relations and bonds, let us spend time together and enjoy diversity!

Multiculturalism means coexistence in the society, e.g. in an academic community, of groups of people of various cultures, traditions, customs, religions, languages, ethnic origin, or value systems. Nowadays, multicultural environments are most commonly the effect of migrations, also for educational purposes, as well as of globalization in its broad meaning. Multiculturalism is also understood as a policy of the state authorities, geared towards integration of the immigrants with the view to avoid and eliminate social tensions associated with cultural diversity of the society.

Each of us is powerfully affected by the experience of traveling abroad and by the relations and bonds we establish with other people. Who we are, our mindset and attitudes, are much the effect of our interactions with the people we meet and live with. The attitude of respectful openness to diversity and the ability to live, work and celebrate in harmony with people of various cultures should be parts of the DNA of our community and natural cornerstones for happiness and success in our daily lives.

The essence of the social, political, and cultural endeavours in the nearest future should be the implementation of a strategy of cooperation, coexistence, coappearance between various cultures… When I shake another human’s hand, I feel something truly universal. (Didier Francfort)

Ewa Kiszka, head, Internationalization Office