FC Barcelona and Generalitat promote Catalonia during United States tour

On the occasion of FC Barcelona's preseason visit to the United States, a promotional event was held in the build-up to the game in Los Angeles against Arsenal on Wednesday 26 July that was attended by representatives of American technology multinationals. The club, together with ACCIÓ and the Catalan Tourism Board (ACT), bodies from Ministry of Business and Labour, explained the investment and tourism opportunities in Catalonia and described the associated strengths.

The meeting prior to the match at the SoFi Stadium was attended by Barça vice-president Elena Fort and board member Àngel Riudalbas, together with Joan Romero, executive director of ACCIÓ; Marc Bonavia, director of the ACCIÓ office in the US; Jesús Buenafuente, Innovation Analyst, Silicon Valley, Catalonia Trade and Investment (ACCIÓ); Ramon Guàrdia, head of the ACCIÓ international relations team, and Cristina Gargallo, director of the ACT's office in the United States.

The opening address was given by Joan Romero, followed by Marc Bonavia and Cristina Gargallo. Under the slogan Color your business, they spoke about how important the US is for the Catalan government as a source of new foreign investment projects and professional developments. They also highlighted how the United States is now the world's leading country for investment in Catalonia, showing how attractive it is for the North American market.

Elena Fort added that “we are delighted to be in Los Angeles, where Barça is such a popular club and is widely respected by fans in California and elsewhere in the country ... our Catalan identity and culture have always been about being open to the world, and we have become a meeting point for different people, cultures and countries."

The vice-president ended by quoting Pau Casals: “Love for a country is natural. But why should it stop at the border? Everything is a branch of our tree, and that tree in humankind.”