Barcelona thus becomes an international role model in democratic digital innovation, able to generate tech projects that put people and the common good at the centre. The current goal is to advance towards a city pact on open-source technology and digital rights, setting out the collaboration between administrations, organisations, companies, universities and tech communities to define a common strategy that guarantees fair, transparent and democratic digitalisation.

A city with a long tradition of open-source technologies

Barcelona has long been at the forefront in the promotion of public open technologies. Projects such as Decidim (the open-source participation platform used by over thirty countries and institutions such as the European Commission and the city of New York), the Sentilo urban sensor system, the tools of the Municipal Data Office and municipal websites developed with Drupal are all examples of a digital strategy based on technological sovereignty, transparency and citizen rights.

Barcelona Open Tech Week: from 4 to 9 November 2025

With the signing of the UN Open Source Principles, the City Council gets Barcelona Open Tech Week under way, putting the city at the centre of grand global debates on technology, innovation and digital rights.

The six-day event offers lectures, debates and international festivals exploring how to build an open, fair and democratic internet. The main events include:

• Decidim Fest (4, 5 and 6 November), at the Canòdrom, Digital and Democratic Innovation Centre. Under the slogan “Building technology as a public asset”, this event brings together institutions, experts and digital communities from all over the world.
• MozFest House Barcelona (7, 8 and 9 November), at Poble Espanyol. Organised by the Fundació Mozilla, this event looks at digital rights, algorithmic justice and communal tech alternatives.
• 4D European Conference: Democratic Digitalisation and Digital Rights. Promoted by the Fundació .cat and Xnet, this is a stage and political event combining art, activism and technopolitics.
• Agenda GIGA, focused on sustainability and the governance of digital infrastructures as common global assets.