Finalists Announced for Global LGBTQIA+ Event
Barcelona has advanced to the final stage of the bid to host WorldPride 2030, alongside Bangkok, with the decision set to be announced at the InterPride Annual General Meeting in Phuket from 29 October to 1 November 2026. The selection will be made by a vote of Pride organisations worldwide, according to official InterPride procedures. The Barcelona bid, led by Pride Barcelona and supported by the Ajuntament de Barcelona, the Catalan government’s Ministry for Equality and Feminism, and Spain’s Ministry of Equality, aims to position the city as a global hub for LGBTQIA+ rights and activism. If selected, the event would take place from 28 June to 28 July 2030, marking 25 years since Spain legalised same-sex marriage and 50 years since the first legal LGBTQIA+ organisation was established in the country.
A Platform for Global Activism
Ferran Poca, president of Pride Barcelona and the driving force behind the bid, describes the initiative as a way to give back to the city that gave him personal freedom. Having moved from a small town in Lleida two decades ago, Poca says Barcelona allowed him to live openly for the first time. "When you can be who you are, you no longer want to be anything else," he told EL PERIÓDICO. The proposed WorldPride would not focus on tourism promotion, Poca notes Barcelona already has global visibility, but on creating a safe space for dialogue and empowerment. The plan includes a month of conferences, workshops, and forums featuring activists from countries where LGBTQIA+ individuals face criminalisation or threats to their lives.
The most important thing is for general society to understand and share the demands. The message must reach everyone, because citizens have the power to change things with their votes.
Poca stresses that celebration and activism must go hand in hand. "As a teenager, I didn't dance for fear of being seen as effeminate," he recalls. Pride, for him, is about reclaiming that lost joy. "They defend their rights as adults, but they dance like teenagers."
Focus on Solidarity, Not Rivalry
Poca has spent the past two years consulting with LGBTQIA+ activists globally to shape the bid’s vision, which centres on the motto "Let's Think, Let's Answer, Let's Change." He acknowledges Bangkok’s bid seeks to highlight Asia’s openness, while Barcelona’s is more focused on human rights advocacy. He warns of growing threats to LGBTQIA+ rights worldwide, citing the rise of far-right movements and the concentration of power in social media platforms controlled by "technocrat magnates" aligned with conservative forces. "If the community doesn't organize, we won't be capable of anything," Poca said. "Otherwise, they will beat us by a landslide."
The final decision will be made in Phuket, where delegations from both cities will present their cases. Barcelona previously promoted its bid at WorldPride 2025 in Washington D.C., engaging with international organisations and participating in the parade with a float and information stand.
Primary sources: ajuntament.barcelona.cat. Reported by elperiodico.com, Nation Thailand, interpride.org, nationthailand.com, infobae.com, taithaitimes.com, nicepremium.fr, El Periódico Barcelona.
