People are being encouraged to register early for an upcoming “mini-World Youth Day” experience at the Brisbane Convention Centre.
The Archdiocesan Youth Day 2007 (AYD07) will be held on Saturday August 18 as part of the journey of the World Youth Day (WYD) Cross and Icon’s national tour.
The day will feature an energetic mix of music, cathechesis, liturgy, drama and festival style events and will provide participants with their first real taste of what to expect in Sydney in July 2008.
Brisbane WYD Secretariat project officer Michael Hart said the AYD07 program had been specifically modelled to look and feel like a mini-WYD.
“The big reason for doing that is that it’s very difficult for people to get a picture of what a WYD is all about, as very few people have experienced it,” Mr Hart said.
“Our Archdiocesan Youth Day 2007 will give people a taste of World Youth Day in the sense of them mixing with other young people in a good sized crowd, something that affirms them in their faith.
“It’s also a chance to come together and travel to an event as a group and to reflect and learn from the experience.
“This will give them their best chance to prepare for next year as it is the closest they’ll get to experiencing WYD before actually going to a WYD.”
Already one sunshine coast school is taking the opportunity to practise their pilgrimage skills by booking into a Brisbane hotel for the weekend and attending AYD07.
Due to the size of the event the Brisbane WYD Secretariat will quickly need to get a very clear picture of the numbers that will be attending.
At least 2000 people are expected on the day in what will be a good indication of the support and momentum for WYD that is building around the archdiocese.
Mr Hart said the Brisbane WYD Secretariat was encouraging pilgrimage group leaders to go to the WYD website (www.wydbrisbane.org.au) and register their group numbers as soon as possible.
“There is a booking system online that they can use now and then on the morning of AYD07 the group leader can simply come to the registration desk and pick up the group’s wristbands to indicate they’re registered.
“We’ve tried as much as possible to repeat the systems that will operate at WYD in Sydney and a key one of those is doing things in groups.
There is a cost associated with AYD07, as there is to attend WYD, but it has been kept to a minimum, particularly through incentives being offered for group bookings.
For groups of 30 or more the cost to attend AYD07 is $10 per person, for groups of 10 to 29 people it will be $15 and for individuals the price is $20 per ticket.
The cost of admission to AYD07 also covers entry to a musical concert, being held in the same venue from 6 to 7.30pm.