Author: Comunicació

The .barcelona domain is successfully presented at Bizbarcelona

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The .barcelona domain was presented at Bizbarcelona on 4 and 5 October. This was an opportunity for us to present the .barcelona domain to the city’s self-employed professionals, local businesses and small enterprises, and establish a direct connection with all those interested in using this domain extension to improve their online presence.

Barcelona Activa, the city’s local development agency, provided us with a space for answering visitors’ questions and concerns about the city’s domain. Being able to connect their businesses in a digital environment to the city and its values proved to be a clear advantage over other extensions when it came to thinking of a domain for their project.

Besides dealing with inquiries and clearing up queries, we at the .barcelona domain also organised two information chats during the event, focusing on the numerous benefits that the .barcelona domain could bring businesses and the self-employed. 

Participation in events such as Bizbarcelona provides .barcelona domain with an exceptional opportunity for promoting its importance and finding out at first hand the needs of the city’s businesses and professionals. Given the growing importance of having an online presence, the .barcelona domain is also being presented as a key tool for businesses keen to stand out in Barcelona and attract more clients, local and international alike.

The .barcelona domain shares its local digitalisation project with the GeoTLD Group

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The GeoTLD Group’s annual meeting was held in Cologne on 11 and 12 September. The meeting was also attended by the.cat, .bzh, .paris, .amsterdam, .nl, .eus, .gal, .wien, .hamburg, .berlin, .denic, .fsl and .alsace domains, to name a few, as well as the main registrars.

The meeting was organised by ECO.de, a German association representing several digital organisations and enterprises, to ensure a sustainable, responsible and safe digital transformation.

Roger Serra and Beatriz Guzmán, from the .cat Foundation, an Enterprise in charge of managing the .barcelona domain, was commissioned with sharing the main initiatives planned for the city’s domain. An opportunity to present the Elmeuclubesportiu.barcelona project to other city domains and invite them to create local-digitalisation projects.

Common strategies were also established during the GeoTLD meetring, on issues such as the NIS2 Directive and co-marketing, allowing us to discover experiences of other city domains which could be used as an inspiration for new initiatives for the .barcelona domain.

Barcelona, the European Capital of Democracy

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Barcelona is the European Capital of Democracy (ECoD) from September 2023 to October 2024, a European initiative aimed at promoting citizen debate and participation in today’s democracy. The capitalofdemocracy.barcelona domain will provide you with full information on European and international events, talks and activities focusing on democratic innovation and citizen participation.

This period, with Barcelona as the first European Capital of Democracy, will see dozens of activities and talks organised by various institutions and organisations from civil society, divided into three areas:

• City events: activities in Barcelona and its metropolitan region.

• International events: European and international activities in Barcelona and its metropolitan region.

• Fringe events: various activities, discussions and talks throughout the year.

The capitalofdemocracy.barcelona website will offer you not just the full programme but also the latest news and enable everyone between the ages of 8 and 17 to take part in “Volem decidir!” [We want to decide], the first European Capital of Democracy participatory process aimed at this age group.

A trip around the different continents through five domains

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We’re making the most of the summer again this year to take a virtual trip around the world through five city domains. Interestingly, all of them were approved by the ICANN in 2014, coinciding with the .barcelona domain, as part of the expansion of the GLTD. Want to find out which ones?

We start our journey in .paris, a domain aimed at businesses, organisations and individuals based in Paris or who have a close connection with the city. Projects with the .paris domain include the website for the Louvre (louvre.paris), one of the most important art museums in the world, and the Paris Opera (opera.paris).

Still in Europe, we can take in one of the key cities for history and contemporary art. We’re talking about .berlin, the domain for the German city of Berlin. One of the most notable websites is for the Stiftung Planetarium Berlin (planetarium.berlin), which features a wide array of activities, from visits to the observatory to concerts and a cinema programme. One of the most iconic theatres in the city, the Friedrichstadt-Palast, has also opted for a .berlin domain for its website palast.berlin. Interestingly, there’s also a band by the name of .berlin. You can discover them on the website theband.berlin.

Next we’re taking a plane to .joburg. This is the domain for Johannesburg, popularly known as Joburg, one of the main cities in South Africa. Representatives of this domain include the annual art event of Open Studios Joburg, which is held in May (openstudios.joburg). There’s still a few months to go, but it’s interesting to take a look and discover the local artists.

After packing our bags again, we’re off to visit .melbourne in Australia, a city which stands out for its cultural, artistic and culinary wealth. On the website dosomething.melbourne we can find numerous leisure options for enjoying the city.

The last part of this digital trip around the world takes us to .quebec, the domain for the province and city in the east of Canada with its French legacy, rich in culture, history and nature. One notable website is fabcity-montreal.quebec, an initiative promoted by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC), the MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms, the Fundació fab and Barcelona City Council, with the aim of connecting international cities wishing to be self-sufficient, productive cities in the local sphere and connected globally.

Our peculiar trip around the world ends here. We wish you the best for the holidays and we’ll see you again in September!

How did local domains come about?

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A few weeks back, the domains of .barcelona, .cat, .gal and .eus had a meeting with our registration companies to explain our projects to them, but also to exchange opinions and experiences and develop a closer relationship with them.

All four domains form part of the geoTLD.group. an international non-profit association representing the interests of top-level geographical domains that identify a city, a region, a language or a culture.

The .cat domain appeared in 2005 and was the first domain in the world to represent a language or a culture. Its appearance was possible thanks to a successful campaign and mobilisation which strengthened the Catalan-speaking civil society. Since then, the domain has been managed by the Fundació .cat and its regulations explain that its use is for websites with content in Catalan, regardless of whether they contain content in other languages or not.

The creation of the .cat domain provided the model for the approval of the .eus domain in 2008, representing Basque language and culture. This domain is managed by the PuntuEus foundation.

Five years later, in 2013, the ICANN approved a new domain representing one of the languages and cultures in the Spanish state. In this case, .gal is the domain for Galician language and culture and is managed by PuntoGal.

The .barcelona domain came into service in 2016 and was the first city domain in the Spanish state, managed by Barcelona City Council. Nearly four thousand domains were registered when it was launched, and now any individual, company or organisation identifying with the city’s values can register.

Besides identifying users with a local or linguistic community, all of these domains are managed by organisations which devote part of their income to projects that promote digitalisation in their regions.

17 July: World Emoji Day

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World Emoji Day is an annual celebration held on 17 July, reminding us of the importance and impact of these little icons that have changed the way we communicate. Since they were created, emojis have become an integral part of our digital communication, enabling us to express emotions, ideas and reactions in a visual and universal way.

The first emoji was created at the start of the 90s by the Japanese programmer Shigetaka Kurita. The first set of 176 emojis, designed for messaging purposes by the company NTT DoCoMo, included elements such as emoticons, images of animals, foods, objects and other visual symbols. Since then, emojis have evolved and grown, with an ever broader and more diverse range of graphic representations.

There are currently thousands of emojis available, covering a wide variety of topics, such as emotions, activities, animals, foods, places, objects and much more. They are used on a global scale and have become a shared visual language that goes beyond linguistic and cultural barriers.

Here are some tips on using emojis when you communicate:

·        Contextualisation: Make sure the emoji you choose relates to the message you want to convey. Use the emoji to highlight or strengthen the meaning of your words.

·        Avoid excessive use: Use emojis in moderation. Using too many or overloading your message with them can make it difficult to understand. Choose the most relevant and significant emojis to communicate your point of view.

·       Universal meaning: Bear in mind that emojis can be interpreted differently depending on culture and context. To avoid misunderstandings, make sure you know the common meaning of an emoji before using it.

·        Experiment: Don’t be afraid to explore new emojis and use them to express yourself. Creative use of emojis can add a fun and exciting dimension to your digital conversations.

Have a good World Emoji Day! 😉 🎉

The Grec Festival is also .barcelona

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The collective voice is the idea underpinning the 47th Barcelona Grec Festival, with a programme inviting reflection on how group awareness enriches individual qualities. You’ll find full details on this edition at festivalgrec.barcelona.

Between now and 30 July you can enjoy local and international productions that look at global issues such as the conservation of nature, women’s voices, the consequences of war, the importance of giving visibility to people at risk of social exclusion and the increasing presence of artificial intelligence. There are also activities all around the city, while “La Xirgu en família” offers shows, concerts and workshops for families to enjoy with the children.You’ll find the full programme on the website festivalgrec.barcelona, where you can also download it, buy tickets and keep up to date with the latest news. Not to be miss

Meeting between .barcelona, .cat, .gal, .eus and registration companies in Barcelona

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The domains of .barcelona, .cat, .gal and .eus shared our plans and outlook with registration companies in a working session on 8 June, explaining our future projects, forecasts for the evolution of the market and internet trends.

The session began with a round table with Josep Maria Ganyet and Marc Argemí, moderated by Albert Cuesta, about the impact of artificial intelligence for the use of the internet and its influence on the domains market, as well as its relevance for online security and identity.

In the second part of the meeting, the domains explained our current projects, as well as the action planned for the coming months and our outlook moving forward.

The meeting provided an opportunity to share the attributes of the .barcelona domain, at the service of companies, organisations and individuals with established links to the city or looking to associate their project with the city’s values. We were also able to introduce registration companies to the projects being carried out by .barcelona to reduce the digital divide.

Sessions such as this one help us to share experiences and opinions, enabling us to work together with other domains and registration companies to improve user experience.

Web3: What is it and what uses has it got?

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In recent years we’ve seen technology develop very fast, revolutionising the way we interact and share information via the internet. One new trend is the Web3 concept, an evolution of the current website which introduces a new paradigm based around decentralisation.

Web3, or the decentralised website, seeks to overcome the limitations of the current website, known as Web2. While Web2 is based on centralised architecture where data and control are mainly in the hands of companies and organisations, Web3 has the goal of decentralising this infrastructure and handing control to users through technologies such as blockchain and other distributed registry systems.

Web3 structure is conceived for uses such as:

1. Digital identity: With Web3, users can have greater control over their digital identity. Cryptographic systems mean each individual can have a unique identifier and verify their data without depending on a central authority. This can improve online security and privacy, as well as avoid fraud and identity supplantation.

2. Decentralised markets: The arrival of Web3 brings decentralised markets which allow users to exchange assets and services without the need for a central intermediary. These markets work through smart contracts, which are programmable agreements executed automatically when the established conditions are met. 

3. Internet of Things (IoT): Web3 may also have a significant impact on the Internet of Things. With decentralised infrastructure, connected devices can communicate directly without depending on central servers. This can improve the security and privacy of the data generated by IoT devices, reducing vulnerability to central attacks and minimising the dependency of companies on service providers.

4. Decentralised finance (DeFi): One of the most notable applications of Web3 is the development of DeFi platforms. These decentralised finance platforms enable users to conduct transactions, loans and other financial operations without the need for traditional intermediaries such as banks or finance institutions. 

5. Decentralised governance: Another important area of application for Web3 is decentralised governance, With the use of blockchain and decentralised voting systems it’s possible to foster citizen participation for collective decision-making.

With technologies such as blockchain and other distributed registry systems becoming more broadly adopted, Web3 is likely to continue to expand and open up new opportunities for collaboration, security and participation for all internet users.

The .barcelona domain is ‘Orgullosa’

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Barcelona is a place for celebrating and asserting LGBTI rights and freedoms in June, as the city marks International Pride Day. You’ll find full details about the programme on the website orgullosa.barcelona.

“Orgull de barri” (neighbourhood pride) fills the city with over a hundred intergenerational, transfeminist and intersectional activities. The city’s museums are also joining in, as “Orgull de museus” (museum pride) sees them reinterpret their spaces and collections from an LGBTI perspective through exhibitions, guided tours and workshops.

The celebrations culminate on 28 June with the second Orgullosa concert, to be held this year at the Moll de la Fusta wharf, celebrating diversity, love, dissidence, bodily diversity and LGBTI pride.

Don’t miss a thing at orgullosa.barcelona!