Culture And Memory

Dom Polski 'Coming of Age'

Dom Polski’s Coming of Age project will explore and document the migration stories of Polish and other ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland, focusing on North Belfast. This is a vital first step toward our longer-term goal ambition to restore Somerton House, a Grade B listed building—being granted to us on a long lease by the Down and Connor Diocesan Trust—into a Polish House: a vibrant, multicultural hub for culture, heritage, and community life. Through storytelling, participatory research, and cultural events, the project will explore the idea of “home” across generations and cultures, engaging both first-generation migrants and second-generation youth who are growing up with blended identities. Informed by the #PL20NI project, delivered by For Your Freedom & Ours CIC, we will use storytelling and community events to reflect on the meaning of “home” and engage people in shaping a shared space for cultural identity and inclusion.