From Solidarność to Global Solidarity? The Engagement of Polish Civil Society in Development Cooperation
From Solidarność to Global Solidarity? The Engagement of Polish Civil Society in Development Cooperation

Summary/Abstract: The paper examines the factors that determined the emergence of non-governmental development organizations (NGDOs) in Poland and their impact on the appropriation of development norms and practices by the Polish aid system. These processes are understood as a natural continuation of, on the one hand, the international appeal of the trade union and mass movement Solidarność in the 1980s and, on the other hand, the country’s participation, dating back to the Cold War era, in the system of development aid. The contemporary development cooperation system has been shaped by geo-political factors. Polish aid, however, has also benefited from its cooperation with the NGDO sector, which willingly shared its hands-on experience and know-how in providing humanitarian aid, development cooperation, and global education projects. The indirect influence of foreign donors on Polish development cooperation should likewise be acknowledged.

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