125 young people from the Salesian Youth Movement of France, Belgium and Tunisia have registered to participate in World Youth Day in Lisbon, in 2023.
A group of 125 young people between the ages of 18 and 30 from the Salesian Youth Movement of France, Belgium and Tunisia will participate in this year’s World Youth Day in Portugal.
In the week leading up to WYD, the group will live the Days in the Dioceses from the 26th to the 31st of July in Porto. With the aim of reducing the environmental footprint, the trip will be made by bus.
“We will leave Belgium on July 24, with a stopover in Paris. Another bus will leave from Lyon. We will spend a week in the diocese of Porto together with other groups of the Salesian Youth Movement from all around the world, before embarking to Lisbon for WYD itself, which will include at least another million pilgrims,” explains Sister Anne-Flore Magnan of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.
To prepare for participation in WYD Lisbon 2023, several meetings by region were promoted, with moments dedicated to prayer and activities.
“This is an exceptional event,” explains Father Xavier Ernst, Salesian, Delegate for Youth Ministry for France, and Belgium. “They say that when it comes to WYD, there is a before and after regarding the Faith and the commitment of young people.”
The cost of participation is also a concern for the organisation. “We made the bold choice of bringing young people who would not otherwise have the means to participate, we believe in the strength of our network to support us and help young people to travel,” says Sister Magnan. To do so, MJS has launched a campaign calling for the contribution of benefactors through the sale of organic coffee from fair trade.
