Opinion | Solidarity and Generosity: Barcelona, Now More Than Ever!

Xavier Xargay, CEO of the charitable organization Dinners That Matter, shares with us his optimistic outlook for the future of Barcelona.

As we contemplate the many ways in which our day to day lives have changed, it can be tempting to allow pessimistic thoughts to engulf us. These days have brought unprecedented challenges to so many of us, both personal and professional—so it’s understandable that we may at times feel overwhelmed. At these moments, I encourage you to not only think about how the changes brought about by these extraordinary times affect you, but how they affect others: your friends, your family, your neighbors, your fellow Barcelonians.

However uncomfortable and uncertain our present state may be, it provides us with time for reflection. The gravity of the current state of affairs demands precaution, but it also heightens our awareness of how connected we are to one another, to our communities. Our sudden forced isolation reminds us of how much our friends and family mean to us. Our longing to see them, to embrace them, to bask in their laughter and to just be in their presence is heightened by the days that stretch ahead. Enjoying familiar faces, making new friends and exploring new relationships is a wonderful privilege we take for granted when caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life. Until now.

As we seek new channels to redirect our focus—both in the present as well as in the long term—we have a unique opportunity to commit ourselves to making a difference in our community. Let’s turn our minds not to our present physical isolation, but to our connectedness. If nothing else, this global pandemic has highlighted just how connected we truly are, how much we need each other, and just how much our physical proximity can help or hurt one another.

Because, we are not alone, no matter how isolated we may feel now. We share these feelings, this uncertainty and the hope of an end to all of this with everyone else in this great city and across the globe. We are grieving. But let’s turn our collective grief into a collective desire to overcome. Let’s turn our present fears and anxiety—feelings we undoubtedly all share—into a shared desire to build a better, more supportive Barcelona.

Together, we are all looking forward to a time when we can look back on these days in retrospect, safely tucked away in our memories of the past. It will be so wonderful to see each other again, won’t it?

But when our days of confinement are over, let’s not forget how much we need each other, how much we can help each other and how much good we can do, if we just work together.

Xavier Xargay is CEO of Dinners That Matter, a non-profit organization that raises awareness and empowers local causes and NGOs with a platform to obtain visibility and increase awareness of their mission. Dinners That Matter promotes generosity, community and proximity. Its mission is to aid a variety of local, socially engaged companies through cooperation with the restaurant sector to help people who live at socioeconomic risk.

You can find our more about Dinners That Matter at dinnersthatmatter.org or follow the organization on Twitter at @DinnersTMatter, Facebook at @dinnersthatmatter and on Instagram at @dinnersthatmatter.