Around 28% of citizens residing in Barcelona, more than 463,000 people, were born abroad; they come from 179 different countries and in 42% of cases have university studies, which brings great wealth and talent to the city.
Given this reality, the Barcelona City Council has been working for years on a plan to welcome and care for this numerous and dynamic international community, as it is key to enriching our society and even more so at a time like the current cycle of economic recovery after the pandemic. And it is that the group of foreigners not only generates wealth and competitiveness due to their talent, their work, their knowledge and the investments and businesses they launch in Barcelona, but also contributes decisively to projecting the image of the city in the world and facilitates both the landing of new investments and the attraction of more talent.
To recognize the work of these "economic ambassadors" of Barcelona and to make useful services available to them that can improve their stay in the city or expand their networking, the Barcelona City Council has organized for next October 23 the seventh edition of the Barcelona International Community Day, an event that returns to the in-person format after last year it was converted into virtual. Again, the chosen venue for the great meeting of the expat community is the Maritime Museum, in Drassanes, where two years ago more than 4,000 people registered, of whom 69% attended the event for the first time. The fair is also open to all those who want to connect with this group.
"This autumn we are recovering the in-person fair at the Maritime Museum with all the energy to be able to provide the necessary tools, knowledge, experiences and contacts so that our international community can continue to grow," explain sources from the organization of the day, which will have as its motto Back to (net)work!
With the clear mission of strengthening the international community's relations with the city and its involvement in the recovery and reactivation of the economy, the Barcelona International Community Day has prepared more than 50 activities including workshops, round tables, conferences, informative capsules, and other participatory spaces. The day at the Maritime Museum will open its doors at 10:30 AM and will end at 7 PM, following strict health protocols to guarantee the safety of all participants. Access to the event is free and tickets can be obtained by registering on the website internationalcommunityday.barcelona.cat
Attendees of the Barcelona International Community Day will also find an exhibition area with about seventy companies offering specialized services for the expat community. "The Barcelona International Community Day aims to consolidate itself as the main welcome and networking space for all those who have chosen the city to live and work," explains the Barcelona City Council, which organizes the event with prominent participation from Barcelona Activa and with the support of Banco Sabadell ---premium sponsor---, Eres Relocation Services, Clínica Corachan, Mapfre, Page Personnel and other entities such as the Catalan Sailing Federation and the Barcelona International Schools Association.
The Barcelona International Community Day aims to consolidate itself as the main welcome and networking space for all those who have chosen the city to live and workThe more than fifty scheduled activities will be structured into different areas: Personal Landing─with information and useful services for when someone arrives and settles in Barcelona, alone or with their family─,Work and do business─to develop a professional career or to invest and do business─,Enjoy the city and make contacts─to get to know the city's attractions, discover its cultural and leisure offerings, and connect with locals─,Animation Activities─cultural, children's, and recreational activities for all ages─ andNetworking─with practical workshops to expand the professional network and establish new contacts amongexpatsand local ones. Useful and current topics will be addressed, such as self-employment, future professions, public transport, or carrying out procedures, among many others.
Vaccination point and online activities
As a major novelty, this edition of the Barcelona International Community Day will have a Covid-19 vaccination point available to facilitate the vaccination of the expatriate resident community. To maximize participation, adapt to the new paradigm created by the pandemic, and consolidate itself as the main reference event for foreign citizens, this year telematic activities will also be organized. Specifically, the week before the fair, a daily online activity will be offered, and on the day of the event, everything that happens in one of the activity rooms can also be followed on the event's website.
In the 2019 edition, 77% of participants were foreigners, from 133 countries, although people born in France, Italy, and the United States predominated. 64% of them had been living in Barcelona for less than three years. "From the Barcelona City Council, we firmly believe in this international talent that enriches our Barcelona culturally, socially, economically, and with ideas and businesses, and that makes us grow and be recognized as an attractive, welcoming, open, and tolerant city," states the consistory.
A new context where Barcelona is a winner
The Catalan capital emerges after the pandemic as one of the best positioned globally to attract international talent. New ways of working mean that many people consider moving to Barcelona, attracted by its quality of life, gastronomy, cultural offerings, and high demand for qualified talent thanks to the technological and entrepreneurial ecosystem that has been forged in recent years. In this sense, expats are a key asset when it comes to helping make these types of decisions, as they become ambassadors of the city among friends, family, and acquaintances.
Expats are a key asset when it comes to helping make these types of decisions, as they become ambassadors of the city among friends, family, and acquaintancesIn this sense, the Barcelona International Community Day 2021 also features, once again, the figure of the hosts, six people who arrived a few years ago, who have settled here and who have been able to fully develop their personal lives and professional careers: they are Jessika Klingspor from Sweden, founder & CEO of Nordics in Barcelona; Othmane Mouhssine from Morocco, partner andambassadorof Digi-Sports Group in Spain; the Russian Oxana Lapuzina, human resources specialist at Preply; the Italian Gabriele Palma, director of Casa Seat; the Chinese Lia Wei, sommelier; and the American Sam Zucker, gastronomic andlifestyle, writer and filmmaker, chef and travel guide.
The City Council also notes that the health crisis has strengthened the bond of foreigners with the city, since, having limited their capacity to move and visit their countries of origin, Barcelona has been more than ever their home and they have been able to discover a different city and feel like authentic Barcelonians.
Even so, especially those who have just arrived, it is possible that they still have doubts or difficulties in accessing certain services or knowing all the offer available to them. For this reason, during the Barcelona International Community Day 2021 they will be able to get information on all types of areas and will have experts available in legal, business or labor services, financial, real estate, educational, cultural, medical, language or recruitment and talent management services.