EUROPE/GERMANY - “Day of Social Commitment” as part of the lead up to World Youth Day includes 620 projects: “Young people's social commitment to build a better world will also be a stand against terrorism ”

Cologne (Fides Service) - For the Day of Social Commitment” on 12 August (see Fides 28/5/2005) as part of the activities for World Youth Day (11-21 August) young people from all over the world hosted in the dioceses of Germany and their young German hosts will be involved in no less than 620 social projects. “This Day of Social commitment will be also an opportunity for the young WYD participants from all over the world to do something to take a stand against terrorism and help build a more peaceful and just world ” said Fr Georg Austen, WYD secretary for the German Bishops’ Conference.”
The Day of Social Commitment has the slogan “Under-construction - help us to build a more just world!” and 620 projects which will involve young people from 160 different countries cover a variety of fields from environment protection to fair trade, charity services and youth pastoral.
To underline this desire to build a better world and as a reminder of the Day of Social Commitment each diocese will bring a stone which will serve to build a walkable maize in front of the Haus Altenberg Youth Centre just outside the city Colonia. The maize will remain to commemorate World Youth Day 2005 and stand as a symbol of Christian social commitment to build a world of justice and peace. “With this social commitment our young people want to say they are ever more committed in this field”, said Fr Austen. “These projects also show how our youth pastoral involves young people in good causes and helps them live their faith in daily life”. To present this initiative during the welcoming ceremony on 18 August the group of young participants coming from Magdeburg diocese have been selected to offer their stone symbolically to Pope Benedict XVI. (MS) (Agenzia Fides, 26/07/2005 - 23 righe, 285 parole)