Barcelona has been chosen to host WorldPride 2030 after defeating Bangkok in the final vote on Thursday 12th November. For residents, the decision brings an international programme of Pride events to the city from 28th June to 28th July 2030.

The Barcelona bid received 413 votes, or 84% of the total, according to elDiario.es Catalunya. Its proposal places particular emphasis on people from countries where sexual and gender diversity is still persecuted.

WorldPride is an international LGBTIQ+ Pride event held every two years in a different city. The Barcelona programme will seek to bring organisations from around the world together, alongside festivities and cultural activities.

Barcelona’s bid and the Phuket vote

Organisations belonging to InterPride, the international network that selected the host, chose Barcelona over Bangkok after its annual conference in Phuket, Thailand, according to Revista Rainbow. The Barcelona delegation presented its bid at the conference before the final vote.

The bid was driven by Pride Barcelona and backed by more than 40 LGBTIQ+ organisations and several public administrations, Revista Rainbow reported.

Barcelona’s 413 votes compare with the 105 received by Cape Town when it won the previous host selection, according to elDiario.es Catalunya. The figures relate to separate votes, not the same contest.

Barcelona City Council listed a response by mayor Collboni for 4.30pm on Thursday 12th November in the Saló de Cent at city hall. The council published the timing in its press notice.

A programme focused on rights and celebration

Barcelona already has a Pride programme that attracts large numbers of tourists, elDiario.es Catalunya reported. Its WorldPride proposal puts advocacy at the centre, with the aim of giving a voice to people unable to live freely because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Representatives from countries where members of the community face threats and persecution will be special guests. The programme is also intended to connect organisations working in different parts of the world.

For Barcelona residents and visitors, the proposed programme runs across the city’s Pride period and includes:

  • Parties and parades.
  • Festivals and cultural activities.
  • Opportunities to bring international organisations together.

The 2030 event will also coincide with two anniversaries identified by Revista Rainbow: 25 years of equal marriage in Spain and 50 years since the legalisation of FAGC, which the publication describes as the country’s first LGBTIQ+ organisation.

Sources: elDiario.es, Ajuntament de Barcelona, revistarainbow.com.