Barcelona International Community Day 2018

Relocating to a new city brings endless adventures, new opportunities and access to fascinating foreign cultures. As many of us know, touching down in an unfamiliar place and setting up a life there is as at once extremely exciting, and intimidating. From finding a home, to creating new professional connections, looking for job opportunities, finding schools, child care and health services, it can seem like a challenge. Luckily, the openness and diversity of Barcelona and its inhabitants make our city an amazing place to live as an international resident.

Here to help you set up in Barcelona and enjoy it to the fullest, the Barcelona International Community Day is back on the 20th of October. This will be the 5th edition of what’s proven to be an unmissable date in the international calendar, held at the Museu Marítim in Drassanes. It’s all about bringing together the city’s international community to build connections and providing information that will help you make the most of the city, both on a personal and professional level. Whether you’ve just arrived or if you’ve lived here for 20 years, this free event is set to be an ultimate meeting place for Barcelona’s expats.

Last year’s event brought together 4500 attendees from 121 countries, all connected by a single theme: their decision to come to Barcelona to live and work. This year’s edition will once again offer attendees networking opportunities and vital resources, grouped under three main categories: personal, work and business, and enjoying the city. A diverse programme of activities around these themes will include conferences, roundtables, panel discussions, informative sessions and networking opportunities.

Aside from an exciting programme of activities, the event will also feature an exhibition fair, home to stands of a number of companies offering valuable services for the expat community. Last year included around 80 exhibitors from multiple sectors including education, health, real estate, finance, recruitment and leisure. This year’s edition is expected to be home to an even larger number of exhibitors, offering invaluable information and resources particularly tailored to the international community.

In addition, the International Community Day will be hosted by four international ambassadors that have lived here for a number of years and are well-positioned to provide unique insights into life in Barcelona. One of these ambassadors is none other than Barcinno’s founder, Scott Mackin, who first arrived in Barcelona with his wife in 2011 to complete his MBA and decided to stay permanently and raise his family here. He’ll be accompanied by Burcu Tunçer, born in Turkey and a professional in the thriving environmental sector; Emma Grenham from the UK and founder of Kids in Barcelona; and Mamadou Korka Diallo, a software developer from Guinea-Conakry.

What’s more, as an attendee you’ll have access to these workshops, talks, exhibitions and networking opportunities – all you need to do is sign up to bag yourself a free ticket.

Whether you’re newly touched down in our sunny city and looking for a job, a long time expat looking to network, or simply an international in Barcelona ready to learn more about the place we all call home, the ICD is an unmissable opportunity to connect with the city’s vibrant international community. Follow the hashtag #BarcelonaICD on social media to keep up with the latest updates. See you there!