The WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation, together with the Diocesan Organizing Committees, has made a donation of 30,000 euros in favour of the Ukrainian population. This was the response to Pope Francis’ appeal to make “a concrete gesture” in help of the Ukrainian people.
At the General Audience on 14 December, the Pope recalled the difficulties of the Ukrainian people and suggested to the faithful that this Christmas be lived in a “more humble way, with more humble gifts”, converting those savings into aid for the population of the country at war.
In response to Pope Francis’ request, the Local Organising Committee and the Diocesan Committees have collected 30,000 euros for the war victims. The goal, explained D. Américo Aguiar, president of the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation, was “to materialize the echo that Pope Francis’ emotion raised, on the day of the Immaculate Conception, when he prayed for peace in Ukraine “, and to bring a little comfort at a time when it is so necessary.
In an interview with Radio Renascença, Bishop Américo Aguiar explained that the organization decided to “direct the revenue from the merchandising sales, both ours and the diocesan committees, to correspond to the Pope’s call” to aid the Ukrainians this Christmas.
