Tokarnia once again became a space for integration – students of Primary School No. 12 in Kielce at the open-air museum and theatre workshops

Students, guardians and teachers from Primary School No. 12 named after the Heroes of Westerplatte in Kielce took part in an off-site integration meeting in Tokarnia, combining regional education, a joint visit to the open-air museum and theatre workshops.

On 16 June 2026, the Museum of the Kielce Countryside – Ethnographic Park in Tokarnia once again became a place of meeting, integration and shared discovery of the heritage of the Świętokrzyskie region. This time, the off-site integration meeting was attended by students, guardians and teachers from Primary School No. 12 named after the Heroes of Westerplatte in Kielce.

The event was organised as part of the project “Improving the wellbeing of the school community in the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship”. Its aim was to strengthen relationships within the school community, foster openness to diversity and create a safe space for cooperation between children, young people, parents, guardians and teachers.

The first part of the programme was a visit to the open-air museum. Participants had the opportunity to see historic buildings of the old Kielce countryside, learn about traditional architecture, the everyday life of the region’s inhabitants and elements of folk culture that form an important part of local identity.

The walk through Tokarnia was not only a lesson in history and regional education, but also an opportunity for conversations, discovering new places together and integration outside the school walls. Such activities help build relationships, overcome barriers and strengthen a sense of belonging to the school and local community.

The second part of the meeting consisted of theatre workshops led by Dorota Anyż – an actress of the “Kubuś” Puppet and Actor Theatre in Kielce, director, academic lecturer and president of the Studio TM Foundation. The Foundation has been cooperating with the Association Integration Europe – East for many years, carrying out theatre, educational and integration activities addressed, among others, to children, young people and people with migration experience.

The theatre workshops had an integrative and developmental character. Students worked with movement, voice, emotions and imagination, learning cooperation, attentiveness to others and free self-expression. Elements of drama and theatre exercises helped participants get to know one another better, overcome shyness and build trust within the group.

By combining regional education with theatre activities, the meeting became a space for shared action, creative expression and conversation about diversity. Participants could experience that integration is not only about learning about other cultures, but also about shared experiences, cooperation and mutual support.