Joan Laporta attends the opening of ‘Barça The Exhibition’
The FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta attended the opening of 'Barça The Exhibition' in Israel where he also thanked the fans for their support and highlighted the fact that Barça is a club open to the world that believes in sport as a powerful tool for building bridges between people and to make the world a better place.
Also present at the even were the Club vice president, Juli Guiu, as well as representatives from the Barça Legends, also in Israel for a 'Clásico' against Real Madrid on 20 March; Javier Saviola, Jon Andoni Goikoetxea, Guillermo Amor, Gaizka Mendieta and Jesús Mariano Angoy. Jordi Cruyff also attended the event.
The event took place at the Holon Toto Hall, the venue for the exhibition located in the south of Tel Aviv until 31 August. Present were the minister for Regional Cooperation, Esawi Frej, the Mayor of Holon, Motti Sasson, the Spanish Ambassador in Israel, Manuel Gómez-Acebo as well as figures from the world of Israeli culture and entertainment.
President Laporta took part in the cutting of the ribbon to open the exhibition officially and gave a speech in which he detailed what an honour it was to know that Barça was the club in Israel with most fans.
"Barça is a club open to the world. It is a global club that belongs to the world," highlighted Laporta during his speech. He also outlined that FC Barcelona is a Club that "promotes and defends freedom, democracy and peace, as well as equality and solidarity amongst peoples, and that also believes that sport is a powerful tool for to build bridges between people and make the world a better place."
The president also took the opportunity to take a look at the new interactive and immersive exhibition for himself, including the 360º space which offers the viewere the experience of being pitch side at Camp Nou.
Israel is one of the countries of the world with the highest levels of Covid-19 vaccination. Given the context, and due to the great affection for Barça and football in the country, the Club has chosen Israel to be the first stop on a tour for the exhibition which will take on various countries in the Middle East and Asia.
A 100% Barça experience
Produced by FC Barcelona, Barça The Exhibition features nine different rooms, and as they explore them visitors can use an audio guide based around a grandfather talking to his grandson, and showcasing the team’s greatest achievements, its style of play and even using a 360º surround space to create the illusion of really standing inside the stadium.
Fans can also enjoy interactive gaming in the Play Barça section and visit the hall of fame, Making History, where they get to admire team and individual trophies and different articles used and signed by Barça stars of past and present. The display was created in collaboration with the Barça Museum.
La Masia, the training centre for the Club's way of playing and values, also has its own space in the exhibition. Furthermore, there is a futuristic space that show the initiatives set in motion by the Club in the area of Research and Development, highlighting the role of the Barça Innovation Hub (BIHUB), the platform for sports research and innovation which creates products and services that not only benefit the Club but also the sports industry and society in general. Finally, 'Barça The Exhibition' also boasts an official Barça store that offers a range of products and exclusive Club collections.