The 'Barcelona International Community Day' once again brings together international talent

You feel Barcelona, You make Barcelona is the motto of the Barcelona International Community Day 2022, the annual event for the expat community, which in its ninth edition aims to to highlight the richness that the international community brings to the cityand its contribution to Barcelona continuing to be a vibrant, diverse, and multicultural city where it is worth living. The initiative, organized by the Barcelona City Council, will take placeon Saturday, October 22 at the Maritime Museum with the triple objective of welcoming newly arrived foreign professionals to the city, being the reference meeting point for the entire international professional community living and working in Barcelona, and acting as a bridge for all people interested in connecting with this group, which brings diversity and richness to the Catalan capital. Access is free and tickets can be obtainedregistering online on the event's website.

For the event, a fair has been designed that will feature the presence of almost 80 exhibitors, of which 26% will be participating for the first time. In it, the attending public will have access to resources and services specialized in the needs of foreign people newly settled in Barcelona, such as financial, real estate, medical, or educational services. Another interesting aspect of the fair is being able to meet, in a short time and in the same space, a wide variety of cultural and social entities, both public and private, that will allow them to enjoy their hobbies and leisure moments and integrate more easily into the city.

Parallel to this exhibition space, more than 60 activities have been prepared with the aim of offering a welcoming space and networking to the international community. Thus, theBarcelona International Community Day2022 will open its doors at 10 a.m. and all activities, which will take place between 10:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., revolve around three main axes: arrival in the city, with information on legal and tax issues or the functioning of the educational and healthcare systems; establishing businesses or developing a professional career, and enjoying Barcelona and socializing, withnetworkingsdynamized to facilitate the creation of networking contacts, both personal and professional. Around one hundred speakers will participate in these meetings, and they will mostly be held in English.Sessions are also planned for explain in detail the resources that Barcelona Activa makes available to the expat community to facilitate job searching and foster entrepreneurship, as well as sessions on the operation of the municipal support and reception service for international talent newly arrived in the city, theBarcelona International Welcome Desk, which provides personalized information and advice.

The day will have a festive and family-friendly aspect. During the event, there will be a play area service with different activities programmed for children, and in the garden of the Maritime Museum, there will be live performances by artists of diverse origins, such as Japanese Taiko drums, Irish music, or Indian dances.

Also as a novelty, this year's edition will have a grand closing party as its final touch, enlivened with American folk music and a DJ, which will bring together exhibitors, speakers, and attendees.

Hosts

As in previous editions, the program of activities will feature 6 hosts, professionals from various countries who have settled in Barcelona and have developed their professional projects here.

They are the young Congolese entrepreneur Neema Bal Nelly; the Mexican Amilcar Vargas, Director of World Heritage at Casa Batlló; Shreyashee Nag, dancer and choreographer, originally from India, who has founded a dance school and company in Barcelona; the American Victor Horcasitas, editor of Barcelona Metropolitan magazine, the main guide to the city for English speakers; Bibiana Cunningham, a Slovak entrepreneur, and Emrah Ulucakar, a director of a multinational in the agri-food sector who arrived from Turkey two years ago.

Organization and support

The Barcelona City Council organizes the Barcelona International Community Day with the prominent participation of Barcelona Activa, and counts on the involvement of numerous organizations, entities, and professionals, who will make its development and dissemination possible. It has the prominent support of Banc Sabadell as a premium sponsor and also the sponsorship and collaboration of ERES Relocation Services, a company that handles the management and international mobility of workers; MAPFRE, insurance and medical and health services, and Page Personnel, an international consultancy in the field of human resources.

This year, the event is also supported by the association of Independent Private Schools of Catalonia (EPIC), the Irish pub Old Irish Pub, and the children's activity space Just for Kids.

Although still marked by the pandemic, in 2021 the Barcelona International Community Day was able to be held in person again, with 3,678 registered attendees from up to 87 nationalities, with Italy, France, the United Kingdom, and the United States leading the way. 60% of visitors had been residing in Barcelona for less than five years. Now without restrictions, the goal this year is to reach the participation figures of 2019 and exceed 4,000 attendees. It is estimated that 29% of the population of the Catalan capital was born abroad, with more than 481,000 people from 176 countries. The most numerous international communities are Italian, Pakistani, and Chinese. According to data from the Barcelona City Council, 41.8% of theexpatsof the city have university studies or a higher-level vocational training cycle. The city council has a 360º action plan to highlight the richness that this group brings in the field of talent, businesses, and economic and commercial activity in general. In particular, their contribution to improving the city's competitiveness and productivity is highlighted, thanks to these people being bearers of new ideas, techniques, innovations, and business initiatives. In addition, they attract new investors and more professionals and entrepreneurs. Another prominent facet is their role as economic ambassadors for Barcelona when they return to or visit their countries of origin. The city's International Economic Promotion Area centralizes this attention to the groupexpat through the portalBarcelona International Welcomeand now also through the in-person service officeBarcelona International Welcome Desk.