On 15th and 16th November 2025, Madrid hosted the 17th International Summit Against Bullfighting, organised by the International Anti-Bullfighting Network as a major strategic meeting of the global anti-bullfighting movement. This year, the event was held in Spain with the explicit objective of supporting local entities that fight to put an end to bullfighting shows in one of the countries where this practice continues to have greater institutional support, but each year the summit is held in a different country.
According to the International Anti-Bullfighting Network, the summit brought together representatives from eight countries where traditional bullfights are still held (Spain, Portugal, France, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador and Venezuela), as well as organisations from other allied states, such as the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Participants included representatives of dozens of non-profit groups that work for the abolition of all shows and celebrations in which bulls are used for human entertainment, considered by the network as cruel practices incompatible with a society that is moving towards forms of leisure free of violence.
For two days, delegations shared analysis of the political and legal context, ongoing campaigns, and coordinated strategies to accelerate the decline of bullfighting in countries with a bullfighting industry. The agenda addressed both legislative and judicial initiatives, as well as the work of social awareness that, according to the network, is consolidating a change in citizen perception of violence against animals in the name of tradition.
Maite van Gerwen, director of CAS International (secretariat of the International Anti-Bullfighting Network), said, “It is abundantly clear that the majority of people in bullfighting countries no longer want to accept the animal suffering caused by bullfighting. This is partly thanks to the remarkable awareness efforts that our colleagues in all countries are achieving together. The passion and hard work of all our colleagues were once again clearly visible during this summit in the presentations and discussions. It is wonderful to collaborate with such energy and work together to end bullfighting.” The summit celebrated several of the milestones that the anti-bullfighting movement has achieved in recent months. Specifically, Colombia banning all cruel bullfighting festivities, Mexico City’s ban on certain bullfights where animals are killed in public, the absence of bullfighting in Bogotá, Caracas, and Quito, and the ban on bullfighting in the Mexican state of Michoacán.
