Connecting the talent ecosystem: Barcelona Expat Week

After the Barcelona International Community Day fair was called off due to Covid-19, a replacement event was set up, giving rise to Barcelona Expat Week, taking place from October 19-23. 

The Expat Week event is a predominantly online-based set of discussions, workshops, and webinars aimed at helping the international community in the Catalan capital meet up, get comfortable with life in the city, and find more resources on working and setting up a business. The event aims to connect the talent ecosystem within Barcelona. 

The programme focusses on a different aspect for each day of the week. Monday is devoted to helping people who have either just landed in Barcelona or are considering arriving to get their new lives set up; on Tuesday, the talks are centred around working and training for work in the city; Wednesday sees the conversation moved to work in a more inclusive manner; business setup with contacts and agents is the order of the day for Thursday; while the week finishes with sessions based around enjoying and participating in the city of Barcelona itself. 

Webinars and sessions will be recorded and posted on the event’s website after they take place, so the resources can still be accessed after they happen. 

Barcelona Expat Week's website also features some fantastic PDF resources to help members of the international community live more easily in the city, such as 10 tips to feel at home in Barcelona, a practical guide on moving to Barcelona and settling down in the city, and tips on choosing a school in the city.

After signing up to the platform and registering for the event, users can then share their experiences with others, learn about practical topics such as looking for housing and navigating the health system, as well as expand their network of contacts and collaborators.

Previously, some on-site activities had been planned to take place in some of the most interesting locations in the city, such as Palau Güell, the city hall, and Soho House. However, these events have had to be called off since the latest measures to curb the spread of Covid-19 were introduced by the authorities.