Limerick’s Justyna Cwojdzinska to represent the Polish community in the ‘Beyond Borders’ campaign

Limerick’s Justyna Cwojdzinska to represent the Polish community in the ‘Beyond Borders’ campaign

Limerick woman, Justyna Cwojdzinska, was chosen to represent the Polish community in the “Beyond Borders” campaign

Justyna Cwojdzinska from Limerick City has been selected from the 125,000 members of the Polish diaspora in Ireland to represent the community in a national campaign highlighting the achievements, creativity, and contributions of Polish people in Ireland.

Justyna has lived in Limerick since 2005. She is the founder and CEO of the Polish Arts Festival, where she and Aleksandra Rosiak jointly shape the organisation’s artistic direction. Over the years, PAF has grown into a significant presence within Limerick’s cultural landscape, becoming both a landmark event and a flagship highlight of Culture Night in the city.

Her work champions multilingual theatre, cultural diversity, and meaningful community engagement, fostering a strong sense of belonging through artistic expression. Thanks to her dedication, the Polish Arts Festival has become a vibrant platform where Irish and Polish creativity meet — challenging stereotypes and building lasting connections.

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Justyna also lends her expertise as a board member of the Hunt Museum and Border Crossings Theatre Company, contributing to the shaping of the wider arts sector. Through theatre, storytelling, and community-focused practice, she demonstrates how the arts can transform lives, strengthen communities, and celebrate shared identity.

Justyna said, “I am very proud to feature in the Beyond Borders campaign. This country gave me a space to grow and I feel proud to give something back. I am proud that I can be a mum, an artist, and that I can create. In the Polish Arts Festival we create work inspired by Celtic and Slavic cultures. We make meaningful art and foster cross-cultural commissions that do more than simply promote artists — we build bridges of understanding, and we share those unspeakable moments of creation and personal story. We empower artists, individuals, and the wider community to transform their lives through a sense of belonging. I’m not just an immigrant — I’m part of the Irish story.”

The campaign has been commissioned by Forum Polonia, a Polish migrant rights organisation. Through a series of personal stories, portraits, and short videos, the campaign showcases ten Polish individuals from across Ireland who are shaping their communities in diverse fields — from education and culture to business, art, science, and volunteering. The project challenges outdated stereotypes about Polish migrants and highlights the complexity of identity — reminding audiences that everyone who has come to Ireland carries not only a journey, but a lifetime of experience, talent, and resilience.

Barnaba Dorda, the Chair of Forum Polonia, said, “A year ago, we celebrated the 20th anniversary of Poland joining the EU, and that was the beginning of the large-scale migration of Poles to Ireland. Many of us started working in manual work sectors, filling in labour gaps. Twenty years on, we can see the progress the Polish community has made, but we feel that the stereotypes about Polish migrant workers are still prevalent. With the ‘Beyond Borders’ campaign, we want to replace labels with stories. Polish people have been part of Ireland’s progress for two decades — this campaign celebrates that connection and reminds us that we all belong.”

Aga Wypychowska, a co-creator of the campaign, said: “The campaign’s central message is We are here. We create. We inspire. An immigrant is a full person with a personal history, professional life, and unique skills. We want to show that Polish people are not just participants in Irish life — they are co-creators of it.”

The Beyond Borders campaign will run across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn, featuring short video interviews, photography, and a final short film summarising the initiative. Forum Polonia invites everyone — Polish, Irish, and beyond — to follow the campaign, share the stories, and celebrate life Beyond Borders.

Forum Polonia is a cooperative platform set up in 2008, with a mission to be the channel for the voice of the Polish Diaspora interests in Ireland and to support its full participation in the life of Irish society on an equal basis and a community that is empowered to contribute to civic and political life and democratic processes.