Saving2What is World Youth Day?
World Youth Day was established by Pope John Paul II in 1986 as an annual event to reach out to the youth of the world. The first WYD was held on Palm Sunday in 1986 in Rome. Every year since, it has been celebrated at a diocesan level on Palm Sunday. Every two to three years, WYD is taken to an international host city for a week-long series of events attended by the Pope and hundreds of thousands of youth from all over. Organised by the Catholic Church, WYD brings together young people for a pilgrimage in faith where they can meet and experience the love of God.

Who can I contact for more information?
All enquiries regarding Melbourne's pilgrimage to the WYD2011 in Madrid can be directed to Annaliese Wursthorn, the WYD Co-ordinator for the Archdiocese of Melbourne. Contact her on (03) 9412 3326 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Download WYD2011 FAQs

Download FAQs|         Download (for schools)

More information about WYD:

Where have previous World Youth Days been held?

There have been 11 International World Youth Day celebrations held so far, in the following host cities:

YEAR       HOST CITY / COUNTRY
1984/85    Rome, Italy
1987         Buenos Aires, Argentina
1989         Santiago de Compostela, Spain
1991         Czestochowa, Poland
1993         Denver, USA
1995         Manila, Philippines 
1997         Paris, France
2000         Rome, Italy
2002         Toronto, Canada
2005         Cologne, Germany
2008         Sydney, Australia

 

When and where is the next World Youth Day?

The next international World Youth Day will be held in Madrid, Spain from 16–21 August 2011. It will be held in the middle of the Spanish summer, attended by an estimated two million pilgrims and organised in a uniquely European manner!

 

What can I gain from attending World Youth Day?

WYD offers something for everyone – from silent prayer to Masses to big concerts and cultural events. At WYD, you discover that you are not alone with your thoughts and questions about faith. Young people from all over the world are practicing their faith in so many ways and the Pope invites them to come together as one.

While the week can be loads of fun and adventure with other young people, it will be a pilgrimage of faith that challenges you physically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually.

 

What is the theme for this WYD?

Every WYD has a theme given by the Pope. The themes for the next two world youth days are:

WYD 2010: “Good Teacher, What Must I do to Inherit Eternal Life?” (Mk 10:17)
WYD 2011 (Madrid): “Planted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith.” (Col 2:7)

 

What themes have they had in the past for WYD?

1986        “Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1Pt 3:15)
1987        “We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves” (1Jn 4:16)
1988        “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5)
1989        “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6)
1990        “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn 15:5)
1991        “You have received a spirit of sonship” (Rom 8:15)
1992        “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” (Mk 16:15)
1993        “I came that they might have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10)
1994-95   "As the Father sent me, so am I sending you” (Jn 20: 21)
1996        “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).
1997        “Teacher, where are you staying? Come and see” (cf. Jn 1:38-39)
1998        “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things” (cf Jn 14:26 )
1999        “The Father loves you” (cf. Jn 16:27)
2000        “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14)
2001        “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23)
2002        "You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world" (Mt 5: 13,14)
2003        "Behold, your mother!" (Jn 19,27)
2004        "We wish to see Jesus" (Jn 12,21)
2005        "We have come to worship Him" (Mt 2,2)
2006        "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119, 105)
2007        "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (Jn 13, 34)
2008        "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1, 8)
2009        "We have set our hope on the living God" (1 Tm 4:10)
2010        "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mk 10:17)

 

Can I go to the next World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain?

The Archdiocese of Melbourne invites all young people aged 16-35 (as of August 2011) to join us on our pilgrimage to WYD in Madrid.

 

How do I sign up for WYD?

We are expecting many young people from all over Melbourne to be joining our pilgrimage to the next WYD!

Registrations have not opened yet, but we encourage all interested pilgrims to register their interest via our online form.

If you have any other questions, please call Annaliese on 9412 3326 or email wyd2011@cam.org.au

 

 

What pilgrimage options is Melbourne offering?

The Melbourne Archdiocese is offering three (3) different pilgrimages to cater for a range of budgets, tastes, and time availabilities. These will be via Avila, Italy and the Holy Land. Click view pilgrimages for more information. 

 

Why should I travel with the Melbourne pilgrimage group?

We're expecting hundreds of young people from all over the Archdiocese to join our official pilgrimage group. We are especially excited to hear about different parish youth groups, movements and schools that are intending to come with us!

The Melbourne Archdiocese has invested significant resources to ensure that we can provide a safe, spiritual and successful journey to WYD. By travelling with the Melbourne Archdiocese you will be spared the hassles of trying to negotiate your way through Spain and WYD by yourself. Each pilgrimage option will be accompanied by several experienced leaders, bishops/priests and trained medical staff.  

More importantly, there will be opportunities for you to meet all the other pilgrims travelling to Spain during preparation sessions in the lead up to WYD2011.

 

 

What if I want to travel with my own group?

This WYD is going to be significantly different to WYD Sydney. Leading a group overseas requires a lot more organisation, which is why the youth office has appointed someone specifically to manage the pilgrimage from Melbourne to Madrid.

To get the best deal on pilgrimage packages (i.e. transport, flights, accommodation), it is advisable to have a group size of at least 45 pilgrims. Most parishes and schools will not have large enough pilgrim numbers to consider taking their own pilgrimage groups so we encourage all interested pilgrims to join the Archdiocesan pilgrimage group.

You will still be able to travel with your friends without the worry of organising everything yourselves!

What if I want to go to WYD by myself?

Some things to consider:

  • The organisers are expecting 2 million people (10 times as many as Sydney 2008). This will likely cause many difficulties with crowds, transport, accommodation vacancies etc.
  • Being part of our organised pilgrimage means that in cases of emergency (e.g. illness, loss of passport) you will have the support of the Archdiocese helping you out including trained medical staff and Spanish translators.
  • Going to WYD is more than just being present in the host city at the time of the event. It is about a going on a pilgrimage.
  • To get the most out of WYD it is recommended that you go with an organised pilgrimage group which can help you grow in your faith and grow in relationships with others.

 

Who is the official tour provider?

An official tour provider has been appointed by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) to provide logistical support through coordination of travel, accommodation, registration and critical incident response.

After a selection process and detailed discussions, Catholic tour operator Harvest Pilgrimages was appointed the official tour operator to support Australian groups attending WYD2011 in Madrid.

Harvest Pilgrimages has extensive experience in organising overseas pilgrimages, having previously organised the Australian pilgrimages for the 2002, 2005 and 2008 World Youth Days.

Visit their website

 

How can I start preparing for the next WYD?

  • PRAY that God will prepare you to receive the abundance of graces He wants to give you! WYD is a pilgrimage and the aim is to deepen the faith of all the Pilgrims. What better way to prepare then to start talking to God now!
  • Register your interest for attending WYD by clicking here. That way you will be sure to receive the latest information about WYD.
  • Start SAVING and fundraising! Yes, it is a large amount, but be comforted by the fact that you are not alone in this. Some parish youth groups have already started fundraising activities in their community to help off-set the costs. Why not connect with one of these groups to get some ideas or speak to your own parish priest about how your parish can support you. Check out our fundraising ideas.
  • Join with others preparing to go. WYD is a pilgrimage best experienced with other young people. It is a spiritual pilgrimage for young people and so it helps to have peers to support and walk with you as you prepare for the next WYD. If you are part of a parish, you can start talking about the possibility of others in the community joining you, and how the parish can support you. There are also lots of other groups that you can connect with around Melbourne. Click here to see a list of youth groups in Melbourne.
  • Attend events organised by the Archdiocesan Office for Youth including the “One Year To Go” celebration on Friday 20 August 2010. Other preparation nights will be organised in the lead up to WYD.

 

What other websites should I check out?

 

Are there any good Youtube videos I can show my friends?