Catalan football manager Pep Guardiola is using his voice to call for solidarity with Palestinians, endorsing an upcoming European conference of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In a video message, Guardiola invited supporters to gather in Barcelona this November, reflecting on the movement’s 21-year history and the importance of speaking out against injustice.
Guardiola Shares a Message Ahead of the Conference
In a video shared by the BDS movement, Guardiola invited people to attend the BDS@20 Europe Regional Conference, taking place from November 18 to 20. He highlighted the campaign’s origins, its years of international advocacy, and the ongoing struggle for Palestinian rights.
“It has been 21 years of defying the law of silence, because no genocide has ever stopped on its own, and peace never arrives on its own,” he said.
What Is the BDS Movement?
Inspired by the global campaign against South African apartheid, the BDS movement was founded in 2005 following a call from Palestinian civil society for international solidarity.
“Twenty-one years ago, inspired by the long struggle against South African apartheid, a Palestinian call gave rise to a global solidarity movement. That is how BDS was born,” he said.
The movement advocates boycotts, divestment, and sanctions as non-violent ways to pressure Israel over its treatment of Palestinians. Its main goals include ending the occupation, securing equal rights for Palestinians, and upholding Palestinian refugees’ right of return.
Who Is Taking Part in the November Conference?
The BDS@20 Europe Regional Conference is expected to bring together Palestinian rights advocates, legal experts, academics, journalists and artists from Europe and beyond to discuss solidarity and strategies for advancing Palestinian rights.
Among the announced speakers are Naledi Pandor, South Africa’s former minister of international relations and cooperation; Francesca Albanese, the UN special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and international law scholar Noura Erakat.
Other participants include British-Palestinian surgeon and academic Ghassan Abu-Sittah, Massive Attack musician Robert Del Naja, actress Hiba Abouk, Spanish presenter Inés Hernand, journalist Olga Rodríguez, and BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti.
Guardiola’s Previous Acts of Support for Palestinians
This latest endorsement follows Guardiola’s previous public expressions of concern for Palestinians, particularly children affected by Israel’s military assault on Gaza. Through public appearances and speeches, he has repeatedly drawn attention to civilian suffering and the humanitarian consequences of the war.
In July 2026, his Guardiola Sala Foundation hosted 28 Palestinian children affected by the war in Gaza at the annual Pep Summer Camp in Rialp, northeastern Spain. The initiative offered another example of his support for children whose lives have been affected by the conflict.
From speaking publicly about the suffering of Palestinians to supporting initiatives involving children affected by the war, Guardiola has continued to use his platform to draw attention to the issue. His latest message adds his voice to the BDS movement’s upcoming gathering in Barcelona, where activists, academics, and public figures are expected to come together to discuss ways to advance solidarity and push for Palestinian rights.
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