Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Manila (Agenzia Fides) – Many still remember the World Youth Day celebrated in Manila in 1995 and it is with this same spirit that the Philippines is preparing to host, November 20-27, 2009, the 5th Asian Youth Day, which will bring together youth from all over the continent, for an experience in the spirit of WYD.
The Asian youth are still living the effects of WYD 2008 in Sydney, which many of them attended. As the Youth Pastoral Ministry delegates of various southeast Asian nations point out, there are still many youth who were not able to attend and can now attend the Asian Youth Day. The event will help strengthen communion among the youth of Asia, which is a fruitful and limitless land for evangelization.
Organizing the event is the Youth Ministry Office of the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences (FABC). In light of the Synod of Bishops held in the Vatican last October, the Bishops of Asia hope to “renew Asian youth’s faith in and love for the Word of God and the Eucharist, celebrate youthfully the Word and the Eucharist in their contexts, cultures and communities, and enable the young to become agents of transformation by living out the Word and the Eucharist in our realities in Asia.”
There are expected to be groups from 22 countries. The event will last a week and will be modeled after the WYDs. The youth from various different countries will be hosted by families and parishes, will participate in catechesis, group seminars, Masses, and Confession. Preparatory events will be organized by the Youth Ministry Offices of the various Bishops' Conferences in Asia beginning in March in the Philippines. The local Church has rejoiced at news of the event, and the possibility to host the Asian Youth Day.
The first Day was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 1999 as a regional encounter of Asian youth, after the WYD. The event was a great success and the Bishops decided to hold another. In 2001, it was hosted by the Church in Taipei (Taiwan). The third was held in Bangalore, India in 2003. The last one was held in Hong Kong, in 2006. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 3/2/2009)
