Ignacy Niemczycki

2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Countering Disinformation - Media Literacy Classes to Strengthen Citizens’ ResiliencePoland

Headshot_IgnacyIgnacy Niemczycki is an expert in communication and European affairs, the chairman of the Bronislaw Geremek Foundation and board member of the Akcja Demokracja Foundation. He is also a former civil servant working on the EU budget and a journalist dealing with EU affairs. Ignacy is the former acting director of corporate communications at IKEA Retail in Poland. Niemczycki graduated from Bocconi University in Italy with a degree in management and the University of Lancaster in England with a degree in sociology. Ignacy was a participant of the IVLP Project: 21st century change makers: Disinformation and Election Security.

2023 IVLP Impact Award Project: Countering Disinformation - Media Literacy Classes to Strengthen Citizens’ Resilience

To increase media literacy and strengthen citizens’ resilience to social media disinformation, this project organized online and offline classes and webinars to equip participants with essential theoretical and practical tools they can apply to their daily lives. Most workshops occurred in smaller, non-urban areas where citizens are less knowledgeable about media literacy. Ignacy organized 37 offline media literacy classes in educational institutions targeting younger and older citizens and two online webinars, engaging about 1,300 people. These sessions covered topics such as the role of social media in our lives, social media algorithms and profiling, the impact of social media on personal and public life, coping with disinformation, and online security. The project was popular with teachers and educators, giving hope for further dissemination of knowledge and workshop materials. In addition, educational institutions quickly responded to Ignacy’s request to host the media literacy workshops, proving the topic is in demand in the community.

"Meeting US election officials and those securing free and fair elections reinvigorated my belief that the transatlantic community is based on values and should work together to promote democracy and human rights." - Ignacy Niemczycki

IVLP Exchange Experience

Ignacy was a participant in the IVLP Project 21st Century ChangeMakers: Disinformation and Election Security, organized by the U.S. Department of State and FHI 360.

U.S. Communities Visited in 2022

Flagstaff, AZ; Phoenix, AZ; Denver, CO; Washington, DC; Atlanta, GA; Des Moines, IA

U.S. Communities Visited Virtually in 2021

Denver, CO; Washington, DC; Orlando, FL; Burlington, VT

Country: Poland

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