Barcelona International Community Day to welcome and bring together the city’s international talent for yet another year
The event also has a fun and family-oriented side to it
šThe initiative, organised by Barcelona City Council, will be held Saturday 22 October at the Maritime Museum. Entry is free of charge. You can get your ticket by registering online at barcelona.cat/internationalcommunityday .
“You feel Barcelona. You make Barcelona” is the slogan for Barcelona International Community Day 2022, the ninth edition of the annual gathering for the expat community, that highlights the richness that the international community brings to the city, and its contribution to making Barcelona a vibrant, diverse and multicultural place worth living.
This event-fair will feature nearly 80 exhibitors. Attendees will find specialised resources and services to meet the needs of expats who have recently moved to Barcelona. It will also feature a programme of more than 60 activities throughout the day in a variety of formats: informative talks and workshops, networking activities, live music and activities for children. Around 100 speakers and experts from all over the world will be participating.
Barcelona International Community Day’s venue will open doors at 10 a.m. and the activities, held from 10.30 a.m. to 7 p.m., revolve around three main themes: settling in the city, with information on legal and tax issues and how the education and health systems work; doing business or pursuing a professional career; and enjoying and socialising in the city, with dynamic networking events to help people build personal and professional networks.
Barcelona Activa’s resources for job seekers and business start-ups will also be presented and explained in detail, as well as the permanent municipal support and welcome service for newly-arrived international talent, the Barcelona International Welcome Desk, which provides personalised information and guidance.
The event also has a fun and family-oriented side to it. Throughout the day, there will be a play centre with various activities for children, and in the Maritime Museum Garden there will be live performances by artists from different backgrounds: Taiko Japanese traditional drums, Irish music or Indian dances, among others.
Plus, as a new feature this year, the day will end with a big party from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., bringing together exhibitors, speakers and attendees. The party will feature American folk music, DJ entertainment, some giveaways and a final toast with everyone present.
Host ambassadors
As every year, the programme of activities will include the participation of six hosts, all professionals from various countries who have settled in Barcelona to pursue their professional endeavours.
This year’s hosts are young Congolese entrepreneur Neema Bal Nelly ; Mexico-born Amilcar Vargas , who is the current director of World Heritage at Casa Batlló; Shreyashee Nag , a dancer and choreographer from India who has founded her own dance school and company in Barcelona; US expat Victor Horcasitas , editor of Barcelona Metropolitan magazine, the leading guide to the city for English speakers; Bibiana Cunningham , an entrepreneur from Slovakia; and Emrah Ulucakar , the manager of a multinational in the agri-food sector who came to Barcelona from Turkey two years ago.
Organisation and support
Barcelona Activa offers Barcelona City Council support in the organisation of Barcelona International Community Day, along with various other organisations, entities and professionals who help to make its organisation and dissemination possible. It also has the outstanding support of Banc Sabadell as a premium sponsor, as well as the sponsorship and collaboration of ERES Relocation Services (workers’ international mobility management), MAPFRE (insurance and medical and health services) and Page Personnel (international human resources consultancy).
Also supporting the event this year are the Association of Independent Private Schools of Catalonia (EPIC), the Old Irish Pub and the children’s play centre Just for Kids.
Entry is free of charge. You can get your ticket by registering online at barcelona.cat/internationalcommunityday