EUROPE/SPAIN - Website for WYD in Madrid presented, for organization and information leading up to August 16, 2011

Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - During the presentation of the website for World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, announced that the Congress of Deputies has declared World Youth Day an "event of general interest" and that it seems they will provide assistance and support for the organization. Cardinal Rouco also announced that the Inaugural Mass for World Youth Day will be held at Plaza de Cibeles, on August 16, 2011, presided by Pope Benedict XVI, who will arrive at the specially built platform on Via de Alcala.
The communications director for the World Youth Day in Madrid 2011, Yago de la Cierva, said that "those who work in the department of communications for WYD hope that the website will be one of most useful the organizational and informational tools in these 639 days remaining until 16 August 2011. "The new website is currently only available in Spanish, which will soon be followed by another five languages (German, English, Italian, Portuguese and French) and then the essential information will be translated into Arabic, Chinese and Russian. Yago de la Cierva explained that "the site will also be the basis for communication of WYD in major social networks, in relation to information, organization, and coordination of volunteers.” (CE) (Agenzia Fides 19/11/2009)