The political transformation in Poland resulted in the reorientation of Polish policy in the field of understanding security. It found its reflection in newly defined policy directions, which were manifested in the search for new guarantees of security, development opportunities and giving a new character to Polish politics. The problem of ensuring state security in new geopolitical conditions is expressed in the adopted hierarchy of priorities for the implementation of the Polish raison d’etat. The implementation of the policy priorities means that Poland has a solid foundation for security. The Polish Army carries out many key tasks in it. The armed forces of the Republic of Poland became an element of the broad NATO security system. Building faith in defensive self-sufficiency, Poland distances itself more and more from Europe. Both threats and challenges require decision-making in matters of security and go beyond the traditionally understood security. As a consequence, Poland responds to both threats and challenges in the security policy of the Republic of Poland to a small extent.

The process of globalisation poses global challenges, both new or already existing. There exist global threats of intense power interactions. Each act of creation of World Order is accompanied by predicaments, as there are multiple interests and numerous exclusive aspirations, all of which need to be overcome in order to shape a foundation for a secure Global Order. Thus, teachers’ responsibility for the transmission of knowledge about the world after the bipolar rivalry between the Soviet Union and the USA is of utmost importance in school education. Undoubtedly, teachers’ expertise is meant to shape pupils’ further choices and lifestyles.

In spite of defining the role of various measures of security policy implementation the weight of one has been quite unequivocally assessed for the current policy. The main position for contemporary Poland is to be taken by the armed forces.
Under these conditions, the Polish Army has become a basic element of the defense system of Poland not only in terms of image. It is not surprising then that currently the armed forces have received a wide range of tasks regarding security – both internal and external. President Duda and the government of Law and Justice proudly show the 2 percent of GDP spent on defense and an even higher target, at the latest in 2030. However, this does not create a perspective that would allow “hurray” optimism. The key to describing the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland seems to be their ability to respond to the revolution in the field of military and the ability to modernize.
Despite the plans of the Ministry of National Defense and declarations given in media, this process faces a number of difficulties. Not only do we create “abstract” visions of needs for the current policy, but we also offend our partners and those that are still our allies.
The arms policy, so important from the point of view of this “self-sufficiency”, was brought to the accusations of lobbying, corruption, and fraud; not only do we not pay attention to our own needs, but we also create innovative concepts for the current policy that cause us to wander in dilettantism.
It seems that the shape of the implementation of the modernization of the Armed Forces is affected not only by the current policy. To a large extent, the condition of the Polish arms industry is also a decisive factor in the absorption of modernization.

W roku 2012 ukazał się pierwszy tom czasopisma „Edukacja Międzykulturowa”. Został w nim opublikowany tekst, który był próbą „bilansu otwarcia” zagadnień wielokulturowości oraz edukacji wielo- i międzykulturowej – według spostrzeganego wówczas stanu. Obraz tych zagadnień przedstawiał się jako optymistyczny. Coraz szersza stawała się wiedza o zjawiskach wielokulturowości, w Polsce i w innych państwach dominowały nastroje prointegracyjne, dostrzegano korzyści płynące z integracji europejskiej, kształtowała się świadomość słabości edukacji wielokulturowej i znajomość nowej propozycji – edukacji międzykulturowej. Pomyślny był rozwój pedagogiki międzykulturowej – jako (sub)dyscypliny naukowej, rozwój kadrowy i instytucjonalny. Edukacja międzykulturowa – jako obszar praktyki społecznej – miała liczne udane realizacje w oświacie. Lata następne przyniosły znaczne zmiany nastawienia społecznego wobec wielokulturowości. Spowodowane to zostało m.in. nasileniem się zjawiska terroryzmu, niekontrolowaną falą uchodźców i imigrantów, którzy napłynęli do Europy, a także poczuciem zagrożenia związanym z konfliktem zbrojnym na Ukrainie. Niekorzystne zmiany postaw wobec Innych, Obcych, ujawniły się w zachowaniach polityków, niektórych radykalnych grup, a także w przekazach różnych mediów masowej komunikacji. Wszystko to składa się na odmienne niż kilka lat temu uwarunkowania edukacji międzykulturowej i pedagogiki międzykulturowej. O niektórych obserwowanych skutkach mowa jest w artykule. Sformułowane zostały także pytania o kondycję edukacji i pedagogiki międzykulturowej w dzisiejszych warunkach. W kolejnym fragmencie zaakcentowany jest fakt, że pedagogika międzykulturowa przeżywa czas próby i powinności – mimo wszystko – podjęcia edukacyjnych wyzwań.

Prezentowany tekst jest próbą zwrócenia uwagi na potrzeby oswojenia dokonujących się zmian w przestrzeni globalnej. Zagrożenia i konsekwencje współcześnie dokonujących się przemian w wieloaspektowym zakresie implikują potrzebę podejmowania zintegrowanych działań edukacyjnych. W tekście uwagę skupiam na działaniach szkoły/nauczyciela w sytuacji nieładu światowego. Istotną kwestią pozostaje świadomość nauczycieli oraz ich aktywność wychowawczo-edukacyjna zorientowana na kreowanie świadomości młodych ludzi wobec permanentnych zmian oraz zjawiska wielokulturowości. Jak wskazują minione epoki, istotnym instrumentem regulującym pozytywne współistnienie, relacje społeczne, wspólne funkcjonowanie pozostaje kultura i sztuka, będąca nie tylko odzwierciedleniem rzeczywistości, ale ważnym społecznym komunikatem, materiałem edukacyjnym, a nade wszystko spoiwem społeczności, szczególnie wielokulturowych. Uwzględniając wartość kultury/sztuki, nie tylko jej artyzm, estetykę, ale jej utylitaryzm, celowym zamysłem pozostaje włączenie jej do działań edukacyjnych.

Terrorist attacks in the Russian Federation

The high level of terrorist threat to the security of the Russian Federation, which has been persisting for decades, is a process of many aspects. The conducted internal policy, involvement in armed conflicts in Ukraine and in Syria, the unstable situation in the Caucasus and the undertaken international co-operation have a significant impact on the activation of terrorist groups in Russia. Already in 2012, before the series of attacks in the French Republic, the on-going conflict in the North Caucasus was described as the most brutal in Europe. Since 2007, Russia has started to cope with international terrorism. What is even worse, it has undergone evolution, permanently destabilizing the internal security of the state. The recent attacks have been associated with the emergence of extremist groups from the Middle East, such as Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State, and their cooperation with rebels from the South and North Caucasus. International terrorist groups began their expansion into the whole territory of the Russian Federation, mobilizing the local government to undertake activities counteracting terrorism. Nowadays, the situation is slowly returning to normal, but new threats are still worth noting. The past experience and new threats of attacks urge us to re-analyse the current situation and define the goals of the anti-terrorist actions of the Russian Federation. This is also important in view of the consequences for other countries which are immediate neighbours of Russia, including possible terrorist consequences for Poland.

Threats to the safety of children in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine

Publications on the conflict in eastern Ukraine rarely describe the situation of children living in the combat zone. More attention is paid to the political, economic and military aspects of this confrontation. The author has set himself two goals. The first one is to check how the war affects the biological and mental aspects of children’s lives. The second is an attempt to answer the question whether there is a possibility of improving the situation of minors. The paper on the problematic system is divided into three parts. The first part draws attention to the following problems: difficulties with access to medical care, increased incidence of infectious diseases, growing drug addiction, drinking water pollution, as well as the threat of unexploded ordnance. The second part describes: threats to mental health of children, socialization problems (pre-school and school education, family crisis, shaping of national identity), as well as participation of child soldiers in the conflict in Donbass. The last section of the article contains conclusions. The considerations were prepared on the basis of carefully verified materials in English, Ukrainian and Polish. Many publications were downloaded from the websites of international organizations, analytical centers and scientific institutions.

Contemporary terrorist threats in the Czech Republic

Terrorism has been evolving and taking different forms since the beginning of the XXI century. It is closely related to the geopolitical situation in the world. The development of research of safety indicates evidently that terrorism currently constitutes one of the biggest threats to the security of countries. That is why the analysis of terrorist threats in Central European countries, including the Czech Republic, seems to be indispensable. It is the Western European countries that are struggling today with intrastate terrorism whose effects lead to destabilization of national integrity and jeopardise social security. This situation is also important for neighbouring countries and international organisations to which they belong, such as the European Union or NATO. Data collected between 2014 and 2019 shows that the Czech Republic has improved its terrorist threat combating system and it is constantly reducing the impact of threats on the situation in the country. Terrorism as a phenomenon, and at the same time a kind of weapon for the increasing number of its proponents, needs to be acknowledged immediately. Its complexity imposes determining ways of countervailing it in the future. The presented analysis is a sort of study on cases in the context of threats with the characteristic of terrorism in the Czech Republic.

Benefits and risks of remote teaching from a students’ and academic teachers’ prespective of selected Cracow universities

The epidemiological situation in Poland and in the world was a specific impulse to change education from stationary to remote education, for which it was necessary to use appropriate methods and tools. These circumstances have become a challenge not only for students, but also for academic teachers who try to provide future graduates with the knowledge, competences and skills needed by young people to work in the profession. This publication attempts to discuss the theoretical aspects of remote education based on the available literature. The research conducted and the results obtained on the basis of the respondents’ responses to the proprietary questionnaire, which was carried out using Google Forms from March 10 to April 13, 2021, are described. 115 academic teachers and 229 students participated in the study. The diagnostic survey was an anonymous form of obtaining answers to 12 questions. In the questionnaire, the questionnaire was asked about the tools used for online classes and used to contact the academic teacher - student, student - student relationship. Concentration in classes and communication problems were also investigated. The article also considers the benefits and risks of distance learning at selected Krakow universities from the perspective of academic teachers and students. It was found that the most effective acquisition of knowledge occurs through a combination of distance and stationary teaching. The hybrid mode reduces the level of threats related to e-learning and sums up the benefits of traditional and distance learning.

Patriotic Education as a Factorin The Formation of National Identity in the Conditions of Russian Aggression

The article examines the features of patriotic education of Ukrainian youth in the context of the formation of national identity. It is noted that this process was significantly intensified in the context of Russian aggression, when the entire Ukrainian people united into one, defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, democratic values, human rights and freedoms. Today, Ukraine is an outpost of European civilization, protecting it from the expansion of the Russian Federation. It is noted that in the context of increasing current threats and challenges, national-patriotic education is an important security factor, as it is aimed at forming the national identity of young people, their willingness to defend their homeland. It is emphasized that patriotism is the basis for the formation of national identity. It is pointed out that, in essence, national identity is a multidimensional concept that can integrate cultural, ethnic, professional, regional, gender, or other types of identities, preserving each of them. It is noted that several identity groups coexist in Ukraine, each of which seeks to become national. The first group includes identities that have a strong national-patriotic character, focused on preserving the identity of Ukrainians, the development of national language, culture, customs and more. The second group is partly pro-European cosmopolitan identities, focused on democratic pan-European values, seeking integration with the European Union. The third group includes pro-Russian identities, which are disappearing in the face of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine, as Russia has completely discredited itself by destroying peaceful towns and villages, killing civilians. The last, fourth group consists of cosmopolitan identities that perceive themselves as citizens of the vanished USSR and do not accept the values of the three previous groups. It is noted that the idea of polyethnic, social, political harmony on the basis of the generally accepted goal – ensuring the spiritual and material well-being of the citizens of Ukraine should be the basis for the formation of national identity; The idea of patriotism, love for Ukraine as a defining value; national self-esteem and respect for representatives of other nations and national minorities. It is emphasized that in the conditions of Russian aggression there is an active formation of national identity, which is based primarily on supporting the culture and language of the titular Ukrainian ethnic group, education of patriotism and the formation of the Ukrainian political nation.

Refugees of the 21st Century. Area of threats – Area of challenges

Current migratory movements have been mostly connected with the refugee crisis initiated in 2015, the deliberate actions of the government of Belarus in 2021 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. It should be assumed that the pursuit of people towards the area of security is associated with multiple threats and challenges both for themselves and for their surroundings. The problems concern countries of departure, transit and destination. In each of these “stages” there are multiple threats affecting not only the refugees themselves. The main problem is the identification and analysis of threats, which would allow to define the conditions for strengthening the area of security related to migration. Threats concern both the life and health of people on the move (death in transit, loss of health, exposure to criminal and extreme political circles, involvement in criminal activities, economic exploitation, ethnic and religious animosities and conflicts) and for the institutions of states (social assistance, internal security). Global events indicate that threats, problems and challenges will continue to exist. It is therefore necessary to adapt the forms of institutional actions towards the problem in order to neutralize the indicated threats.

Morale is one of the most frequently recurring concepts in the media covering events from the country and the world. It is used by journalists and experts representing the scientific and military communities. The concept is also used by ordinary people commenting on the attitudes and achievements of various individuals and social entities, especially in situations of particular threats to human life and health. Since the term morale is used in different contexts and meanings, many different ways of understanding it can be noted. It can also be seen that approaches to the phenomenon of morale differ in time – interest in it decreases during peace and social stability and increases during conflicts, revolutions, or wars. For example, in the post-Cold War decade of the 1990s, known as the “end of history” or the “peace dividend” period, there was little scientific work on morale. But earlier, during the “Cold War”, such publications were numerously created in the West . From the emerging interest in the concept of morale in modern times, it appears that it is still valid and important.