Salam Lab was registered in November 2021 as a legal form of the previously operating informal initiative Salam Lab – Peace Laboratory
Our mission
At Salam Lab, we are guided by 5 principles that form our mission and inspire our actions.
Giving voice to those who don’t have it – the excluded.
Building bridges between different national and religious communities.
Reliable reporting on other cultures, socio-political issues and conflicts around the world. Promoting constructive journalism.
Proposing new and reviewing existing systemic and structural solutions in the areas of migration policy, humanitarian and development aid, education, media narrative, inclusive language, among others.
Building coalitions among organizations and individuals working for peace.
Areas of operation
Salam Lab is built from three branches of activity: media activities, assistance and intervention, and education.
Media Activities
The editors of Salam Lab News are creating a platform dedicated to information on migration and human rights. Through our website and Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, we promote knowledge about human rights, migration, refugees and Islam. We also implement information campaigns on the subject. We give voice to the excluded. We also prepare a weekly press review, with a special focus on the regions of North Africa and Southwest Asia, which we deliver to our audience via email.
Systems support and integration
In response to the humanitarian crisis prevailing in the Polish-Belarusian border region, we established a Crisis Intervention Point in Podlasie in October 2021. It provided assistance to refugees and refugee women who found themselves on Polish territory. We are also part of the Border Group and support GG’s media and educational activities.
We also support people with refugee experience who live in centers for foreigners in Poland. We also work with those who have started their lives outside the center, primarily in Krakow. In 2022, we established the “Live in Krakow” Help Point at Radziwillowska 3, also known simply as “R3,” where we provide daily support to refugees from all over the world who have decided to start a new chapter in Poland. At one time, at the same address, there was also a SPA – Social Active Space – run by us, which is a place for integration and meetings of old and new male and female residents of Cracow. Today you can participate in activities and meetings as part of the SPA initiative in a new location at 3 Soltys Dytmar Street in Krakow. You will also meet your favorite educators and favorite female educators at the Open Place on Życzkowskiego Street.
Education
Today’s ubiquitous binary patterns of thinking about the world polarize societies and lead to an increase in violence and hatred. Our goal is to shatter these patterns and shape openness, curiosity and critical thinking skills during workshops and meetings. We carry out educational workshops for teachers, educators, elementary and secondary school students, students, as well as for groups outside the school environment.
As part of our regular education and training programs, we conduct:
- Peace lessons for elementary and secondary school students
- Anti-discrimination workshops for youth and adults
- A series of workshops on “Empathy and multiculturalism”
- Meetings on the topics of migration, responsible aid and the situation on the Polish-Belarusian border
Our activities are carried out thanks to the financial support of private and business donors, institutional support from Polish and foreign organizations, and our amazing volunteers.