Executive Summary

The present report on diversity explores the selected ethnic and religious minorities in Poland and the attitude of the majority of the Polish society towards still relatively few immigrants. First part focuses on the process of the formation of the Polish national identity and the main cultural diversity challenges in the last two decades, while the second aims at outlining the general attitude of the majority towards the cultural minorities on the two examples of Tatars and Roma; it also examines the common understanding of the concept of tolerance, cultural diversity, and practicing/ implementing the idea of multiculturalism.
Polish understanding of multiculturalism differs significantly from that in other European countries, as it is mainly based on historical memory, referring to the period of Noble’s democracy and the political practice of the Commonwealth of Poland and Lithuania in 16th-17th century. Actions supporting cultural diversity in society which is recognized as one of the most ethnically homogeneous in the world, are based mainly on the popularization of folk performances and celebration of the exotic cultural attractions, with virtually no discussion on changes in the ethnic composition of the Polish society (arising with the waves of incoming immigrants, especially from the East) and the marginalization of ethnic/cultural minorities’ presence in public space and social awareness. The growing standard of living and Polish membership in the EU makes Poland more attractive for immigrants from the so called Third Countries, which does not affect real situation of immigrants’ functioning within the Polish state, even though there are many efforts made by various authorities towards legislative changes in the spirit of the guidelines imposed on Poland by the European Union.
The country, reborn after partitions and WWI, already professed an ethnic concept of nationalism. WWII strengthened the images of unavoidable ethnic conflict and communist Poland was created as a mono-ethnic society. Intricate post-war history was marked by homogenising attempts accepted by the majority of the dominant population. The democratic changes which took place after 1989 made the country tolerant in the form we call ‘constitutional nationalism’. It entails the acceptance of other, provided that the titular nation sets the rules of this coexistence. The acceptance of democratic principles demanded by international institution, means that legally all standards of liberal societies are met, but it does not mean that the practice is acceptable.

Political liberalisation has prompted the ‘coming out’ of minorities. Before the National Census of 2002, experts estimated the total number of indigenous ethnic minorities in Poland between 2 and 4% of the total population. The Census showed that only 471 500 (1.23%) of respondents declared an ethnicity other than Polish. The low numbers are interpreted as a heritage of the reluctance of people to show their ethnic identity in the mono-ethnic state and to reinforce a sense of marginality of all matters relating to the functioning of minorities in society shared by the majority of Poles.