July at INPRO began the same way the best weeks tend to: with a room full of strangers who wouldn't stay strangers for long. Twenty participants from around the world arrived in Rzeszów for a study visit, and from the first morning it was clear the energy was going to carry the whole week.
Workshops kicked off on Monday after introductions — no small feat when twenty new names need sticking in memory at once. Once acquainted, INPRO volunteers took the group on a tour of the city. The July heat was unrelenting, but nobody seemed to mind. Conversations flowed easily as the group walked past statues, heard stories about historical figures from across Poland and picked up practical tips from seasoned volunteers on where to go, what to eat and how to make the most of their time in Rzeszów.
Tuesday went deeper. Participants mapped out their own communities, identified the challenges people in those communities face and worked together to brainstorm solutions. Each group then presented their findings to the wider room. After a coffee break, the afternoon shifted toward storytelling — four groups of five, each tasked with building characters and narratives from scratch. The results were both creative and genuinely funny, the kind of output that comes when people are comfortable enough to take risks together.
Wednesday brought a change of setting. The group visited Feniks, another creative space in Rzeszów, where the morning session focused on a practical challenge: conceptualise your own version of INPRO's flagship Open Cafe, held every Wednesday evening at Urban Lab. The groups threw themselves into it, brainstorming activities and energizers with real enthusiasm. That evening, participants attended the actual Open Cafe, meeting more people from the local community and expanding their networks beyond the study visit group.
Beyond Urban Lab and Feniks, the week included visits to the Youth Center of Rzeszów and PCI. At the Youth Center, the group was welcomed by Vice President Bogusław Tomczak, who walked them through the facility — activity rooms, the concert hall, workshop spaces — alongside event manager Magdalena. At PCI, participants explored laboratories, study areas and conference spaces that showed a different side of what Rzeszów has to offer.
The final highlight came just outside the city: Łańcut Castle. Participants spent time in the museum and wandered through the castle gardens, and it was there, sitting together in the park, that the group exchanged handwritten notes and said their goodbyes. The kind of farewell that only happens after a week that actually meant something.
Seven days is a short time. This one made the most of every hour.
The project was funded by the Erasmus+ Programme.
