Poland supports Italian doctors #solidarityPL

On 30 March, a group of Polish doctors and rescuers arrived at a field hospital in Brescia to support Italian health services in the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in Lombardy. It is a joint initiative of the Military Institute of Medicine and the Polish Center for International Aid. The mission brought together 15 people, including 7 intensive care doctors and other physicians. Their help on the ground was also an occasion to exchange invaluable experiences relating to the organization of national healthcare systems to better manage the fight against the COVID-19 epidemic.

We help travelers get back home

In March and April, the Chancellery of the Polish Prime Minister and LOT Polish Airlines ran the #LotDoDomu (LOT flies back home) operation. It was one of the largest operations in the history of the Polish diplomatic and consular services and the LOT company. It brought back home more than 55,000 Poles on board of Polish planes. We also helped more than 2,000 other travelers come back home, among them nationals of the EU, US, Japan, Canada, Australia, Ukraine, Great Britain, Turkey, and South Korea. The operation was successful thanks to the great commitment of our consuls working without a break for the last weeks.

Disinfectants for hospitals in Veneto and San Marino

On 7 April, a transport carrying medical supplies for the Italian health service left Warsaw. The Polish government decided to send 20,000 liters of disinfectants made and handed over by the state-owned Polfa Tarchomin S.A. company to health facilities in northern Italy’s Veneto region and to a hospital in San Marino. Italy is among the countries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

Cooperation with firemen from Ukraine and Georgia

In the face of the pandemic, cooperation with Ukrainian and Georgian partners has gained a special dimension. Taking into account the role of rescue services in fighting COVID-19, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decided to earmark PLN 1.2 million for further development of projects supporting Ukrainian and Georgian services. You can read more here.

Polish community supports its neighbours

The Polish community all over the world joins grassroots actions to support others. Volunteers from the Polish Catholic Mission in Freiburg im Breisgau organize assistance and offer emergency advice, teachers from Polish schools in the Czech Republic sew face masks, Poles in Canada 3D print protective equipment and assist in running errands, the Association of Polish Doctors from Berdyansk in Ukraine offers phone consultations. These are just some of the many unique initiatives of our compatriots. Polish community organizations, scouting and school associations, as well as and churches join local initiatives and come up with their own actions to help others and support their home countries in this difficult time. They can also ask Polish missions for support under the #Polonia4Neighbours programme. Last but not least, Polish doctors working in hospitals all over the world fight selflessly at the front line of the coronavirus crisis.  

Polish Embassies and Cultural Institutes support the #ZostańWDomu (#StayHome) action

Polish cultural institutes and diplomatic and consular missions take part in actions to help local communities. The Polish Cultural Institute in Bucharest launched the #AjutăNuAștepta / #PomagajNieCzekaj (help, don’t wait) action to promote helping older people during the pandemic. Our missions have a wide on-line cultural offer for people who stay at home to enable them to get to know Polish culture and art. They organize Polish poetry readings, give access to films and open Polish museums and monuments for on-line visiting. You can also go on a virtual trip around Poland. Our missions promote Polish cuisine and run vlogs for children. All this under the #zostańwdomu (stay at home) and #wszystkobedziedobrze (everything will be fine) actions.

The Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to thank everyone who is engaged in helping people in Poland and in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic!

MFA Press Office

photo: Tymon Markowski / MFA