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Sydney (Agenzia Fides) - WORLD Youth Day 2008 participants from the poorest countries will pay the lowest registration fees, while participants from industrialised nations such as Australia will pay the most in a solidarity pricing scheme adopted for the world event. The Pontifical Council for the Laity has approved the novel pricing structure which adapts the fees to the wealth of each pilgrim’s home country. Pilgrims from Australia, the US, Canada and Western Europe, but also Poland, Mexico and several Caribbean countries, will be asked to pay higher registration fees than pilgrims coming from middle- and low-income countries. Pilgrims from countries in the South Pacific that have been classified either as “lower middle” or “low income” - such as Fiji, East Timor and Papua New Guinea - will be offered the steepest discount. WYD08 co-ordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher says the packages are designed to encourage maximum participation by pilgrims from Australia’s neighbours in South East Asia and the Pacific. “We know that for many people in Oceania, this may be the only chance they have to attend a World Youth Day,” he said. “With this in mind, one of our guiding principles was to ensure that pilgrims from developing nations in Oceania pay as little as possible to attend WYD in 2008. “In fact, package prices for pilgrims from low-income countries will, in almost all cases, be lower in Sydney than they were for World Youth Day in 2005. “Furthermore, we have managed to keep package prices for pilgrims from lower middle-income nations at roughly the same levels as 2005.” Bishop Fisher said organisers also achieved a commitment to keep all packages priced below $A400.
In the meantime time preparation continues. Registration for groups will open in the first quarter of 2007. Registration for individuals will open around mid-2007. More information about registration opening dates will be available on the website in February 2007. “We intend to live a WYD Pacific youth style”, said Bishop Fisher. The theme of WYD 2008 is “'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.' Acts 1:8 For more details and all the latest World Youth Day news visit www.wyd2008.org
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 19/1/2007righe 27 parole 279)
