International talent will once again gather at the Barcelona International Community Day

The international community continues to gain weight in Barcelona: one in four residents is foreign, in a city that hosts 180 nationalities. Valuing this diversity and interculturality, the City Council is once again organizing the Barcelona International Community Day, which serves as a meeting point and networking for international talent living and working in the city, while also serving as a welcome space for professionals who have recently landed in the city.

Consolidated as the annual reference meeting for members of the international community residing and working in Barcelona, the event will celebrate its eleventh edition on Saturday, September 28, one month earlier than in previous years, although in the usual setting: the Museu Marítim. The event, which last year had 5,000 registered participants from 123 nationalities, is also open to all those who want to connect with the city's international community, with the aim of promoting relations between locals and the expat community, which brings diversity and richness to Barcelona. Access is free and tickets can be obtained by registering on the website barcelona.cat/internationalcommunityday.

Promoted by the City Council through the Directorate of International Economic Promotion, this year's event aims to highlight one of the city's most appreciated characteristics by the international community: the possibility of maintaining a balance between professional and personal life. With the slogan Unique work-life balance, the event will feature a fair of companies and entities, as well as a program of activities, workshops, and conferences, which will be offered from 10 am to 7 pm in the emblematic venue that housed the historic Drassanes Reials.

Specifically, the fair of companies and entities will feature 80 exhibitors offering services, products, and initiatives aimed at the international community. The exhibitors, 30% of whom are participating for the first time this year, include 56 companies and entities; 16 associations, social clubs, and non-profit organizations; and eight international schools. Exhibitors will include actors from fields ranging from the educational sector to real estate, talent management, legal advice, medical services, social initiatives, cultural proposals, and information on areas as diverse as managing emotions when moving to a new city and tips for finding a school for children.

In addition to the fair, more than 60 activities have been scheduled for all audiences, with informative talks, workshops, round tables, networking activities, musical performances, and also children's proposals. The activities, which will be offered primarily in English, will feature 90 speakers and expert individuals of diverse nationalities.

The activities will be grouped into three main axes: arrival in the city, with tools, services, and practical information; business and work, with professional activities; and enjoying Barcelona and socializing in the city, with proposals focused on getting to know the Catalan capital, such as a linguistic vermouth that combines networking with learning Catalan, and a speed networking for professional women.

In its most festive and family-oriented aspect, the day will offer recreational activities, among which a gathering of gegants stands out. To commemorate 600 years of this tradition, they will gather in the garden of the Museu Marítim, which will also host concerts and performances complemented by an indoor playroom with children's activities. As a grand finale, the event will conclude with a closing party with a DJ and a concert in the garden.

The event, which renews its image to align it with that of the Barcelona International Welcome service, will feature another novelty in this edition: it will dedicate a space to the America's Cup. It will do so with the aim of bringing the competition closer to the public, at a time when the city will be immersed in the regatta, with the youth category recently disputed and the women's category warming up.

The event exceeded 5,000 registered people in 2023, with 73% being foreigners

The event, organized with the participation of Barcelona Activa and with the involvement of multiple organizations, entities, and professionals, aims to bring together an international community that already exceeds 25% of Barcelona's population. With 180 nationalities in the Catalan capital, the most numerous in the city are Italian, Colombian, Pakistani, Chinese, and Peruvian.

Last year, the event surpassed 5,000 registered attendees, 76% of whom attended the meeting for the first time. Of the total, 73% were foreigners, with the United States, France, Italy, and Russia being the countries that contributed the most visitors. In total, they came from 123 countries, painting a mosaic of different cultures and origins that generate wealth and bring diversity to Barcelona.