How a collaboration between the GSMA, Barcelona City Council, L'Hospitalet City Council, Fira de Barcelona, Barcelona Tourism Consortium and Fundació Formació i Treball is creating opportunities for local communities.
Photo by Ajuntament de Barcelona
In the Donation Room at MWC25 Barcelona, a small army of workers clad in neon orange hi-vis vests and hard hats are sorting through a mountain of cabinets, chairs, stools, tables and ornamental material such as lamps, waste bins, shelves and paintings.
There may not be any Rembrandts or Banksys among the treasures in this 26.3 ton repository of unwanted event ephemera, but taken as a whole, the pile is worth more than you might think. It’s worth more than 73,000 euros.
MWC Barcelona this year brought together more than 109,000 people from the global connectivity ecosystem for four days of networking, tech demos and inspiring presentations. With nearly 3,000 exhibitors, partners and sponsors, all with their own furnished spaces for meeting or stands for exhibiting, why not build a circular economy from the event itself? Enter the MWC Donation Room.
Now in its eighth year, the MWC Donation Room has contributed to cultural projects and social schemes. This year, the MWC Donation Room has provided them with 9.3 tons of different materials such as carpets and wood as well as 17 tons of furniture and other items. Altogether, there are 2,742 pieces valued at more than 73,000 euros which will have a second life through their use by 23 community not-for-profit organisations and social entities in the cities of Barcelona and L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
This is not only a financial saving for the community but also a saving of emissions, which is about 30,000 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
Barcelona’s Fundació Formació i Treball, which aims to promote training aligned with business needs and facilitate students’ transition in the labour market, managed and coordinated the 46 people involved in this project.
The MWC Donation Room is possible thanks to the collaboration between the City Council of Barcelona, the City Council of L’Hospitalet, Barcelona’s Fundació Formació i Treball, the GSMA, Fira de Barcelona, and Barcelona Tourism Consortium.
The GSMA’s Environmental Programme at MWC
Started in 2016, the MWC Donation Room is an integral part of The GSMA's environmental programme. This programme aims to minimise MWC's environmental footprint in five key areas: energy and water, production and waste, food and hydration, logistics, and travel and accommodation. To find out more click here.