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The Award honours the legacy of Gdansk mayor ​​​​​​​​​​​​​Paweł Adamowicz, Source: Committee of the Regions

Michałowo (Poland) is the recipient of the 2022 Adamowicz Award for its migrant support

Michałowo (Poland) is the recipient of the 2022 Adamowicz Award for its migrant support

The jury also gave a special mention to a Ukrainian mayor held captive by the Russian army since March 2022

Earlier today, the jury gathered at the European Solidarity Centre in Gdansk (Poland) announced the laureate of the 2022 Mayor Paweł Adamowicz Award and it’s the Municipality of Michałowo (also in Poland). The local authority was recognized for its exemplary work in support of migrants who were stranded on the Polish-Belarussian border.

The award, which was created to promote the legacy built up by Paweł Adamowicz during his 20 years as mayor of Gdańsk and tragically lost his life in 2019, will be presented to the winner on 8 February. The Mayor of Michałowo, Marek Nazarko, will accept it at the plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels.

Solidarity with migrants in distress

The reason behind granting the award to the otherwise quaint and unassuming Polish town was the solidarity responses provided by local authorities during the events of September 2021.

At that time, the Polish government imposed a state of emergency in response to Belarus's sponsorship of illegal migration. The local administration of Michałowo, which lies very close to Poland's border with Belarus, provided clothing, warm meals and overnight accommodation for those in need, with support also from non-governmental organisations.

Temporary housing provided by the local administration in Bondary, a village near the border, has also served families from Ukraine since the outbreak of war.​

The award jury also decided to give a special mention to Oleksandr Babich, Mayor of Hola Prystan in the south of Ukraine, who has been held captive since March 2022 for trying to protect his local community. This special mention is given to Oleksandr Babich as a representative of all Ukrainian mayors who have been kidnapped or tortured since the start of the Russian invasion.​

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