(ZENIT News / Lisbon, 06.12.2023).- Less than two months before the start of the largest world meeting of young people, organized by the Catholic Church, it’s known that to date some 600,000 pilgrims have already registered for Lisbon’s World Youth Day (WYD).
The countries with the largest number of registered young people are:
Spain: 39,777
Italy: 32,369
Portugal: 19,350
France: 9,283
Poland: 9,058
United States: 5,807
Other data furnished recently regards volunteers: there are some 20,600 registered volunteers, almost 400 of whom will be focused on the area of health care.
The World Youth Day’s Website reports that “To compensate for part of the environmental footfall generated by all the activities that the organization of the 2023 Lisbon World Youth Day implies, the 2023 Lisbon WYD Foundation is supporting and promoting several initiatives to raise everyone’s awareness, always keeping present that “the environment is a collective good, heritage of all humanity and the responsibility of all” (Laudato Si’, 95).
In this context, “The Lisbon 2023 WYD launched the challenge to plant trees worldwide, which has already given place to various plantations on the part of groups and dioceses around the world. All the localities and data regarding the World Plantation of Trees can be seen on the interactive map available here: https://www.lisboa2023.org/es/plantacion-mundial-de-arboles.
Moreover, the “Rise Up” Preparatory Meetings are challenging young people to debate the great topics launched by Pope Francis’ pontificate, such as Integral Ecology, which reflects on the Encyclical Laudao Si’.
As António Salcedo explains, who is responsible for the Laudato Si’ Movement in Portugal, “the Laudato Si’ Encyclical, is an invitation of Pope Francis to all people of good will to look after our Common Home, and it has been one of the great pillars for the development of the area of sustainability in the WYD.”
In this connection, the 2023 Lisbon WYD also seeks to form its collaborators and volunteers in awareness on the care of our “common home,” in addition to collaborating with different institutions to sensitize young people around the world.
The 2023 Lisbon WYD has adopted sustainability as one of the principal axes of its action, attending to young people’s concerns. Hence, there are three objectives and axes on the subject of sustainability: financial sustainability, with the appropriate use of materials and resources; social sustainability, working for universal fraternity, and environmental sustainability, taking care of and reducing the impact that this meeting will have on the environment.
