Cardinal Manuel Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon, manifested on the occasion, "It is absolutely necessary to provide not only to the Church and young Catholics, but also to Portuguese society, with an opportunity for rejuvenation: another way of being, of living together, of speaking, of giving opinions, of creating a future. And a World Youth Day is an excellent opportunity to do that, as we have seen in all the ones that have been held since the 1980s," he said.
The prefect of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, stressed the importance of this WYD, the first since the Covid-19 pandemic. "It is perhaps one of the most important in the last 30 years, because it is a rebirth, after a long time, from Panama Day 2019."
The international preparatory meeting was also attended by Hon. Augusto Santos Silva, President of the Assembly of the Portuguese Republic, who for his part said Portugal is ready to host the meeting, which is expected to bring together more than a million young people in Lisbon, and believes the event will be a success. "We have already expressed our full support for the Day, and in particular for WYD initiatives that are directly related to youth participation and civic education," he said.
The Salesian International Coordination team for WYD Lisbon 2023 - WYD Don Bosco 23 - also participated in the activities, being represented by Sister Alzira Sousa, of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians, a member of the coordination team, Fr. Jose Lorbeth Vivo, SDB, a member of the Youth Ministry Department of the Salesians of Don Bosco, who accompanies the worldwide Salesian Youth Movement (SYM), and Carina Baumgartner, a young member of the SYM.
During the meeting, the Local Organizing Committee (COL) of WYD Lisbon 2023 offered several useful information: about registration, costs, the week's program, volunteering, the Vocations Fair, and other activities that will take place during the WYD week (Aug. 1-6).
In addition, they presented the different options available for registration for WYD: for pilgrims who will participate in the full program, with the Opening Mass, the Pope's reception, the Stations of the Cross, the Vigil, and the Sending Mass; for those who will participate only in the concluding weekend; and for volunteers. For all, the respective options include: food, lodging, transportation, entrance to the events, insurance, and the equipment contained in the pilgrim's kit.
On the last day of the meeting, participants visited places in the city of Lisbon related to the preparation and holding of WYD Lisbon 2023.
