Towards XXVIII World Youth Day – 23 to 28 July 2013

History of WYD

Getting to know the world youth day

It all started with a meeting hosted by Pope John Paul II in 1984. It was an encounter of love, dreamed of by God and embraced by the youth. Voices that needed to be heard and a heart ready to receive them.

The World Youth Day (WYD) as it was named in 1985 continues to show the world the witness of a living and renewing faith, transforming the face of Christ in every young person.

They are the young, the protagonists of this great gathering of faith, hope and unity. WYD’s main objective is to make known to all youth in the world the message of Christ, but it is also true that, through them, the ‘face‘ Young Christ is also shown to the world.

The World Youth Day, held annually in the dioceses of the world, provides every 2 or 3 years an international meeting of young people with the Pope, which lasts about a week. The latest edition of the International Youth Day was held in August 2011, in Madrid, Spain, and brought together more than 190 countries.

The XXVIII World Youth Day will be held from 23 to 28 July 2013 in the city of Rio de Janeiro and has as its motto “Go and make disciples of all nations” (Mt 28, 19).

The WYDs has its origin in large meetings with the youth celebrated by Pope John Paul II in Rome. The international youth meeting on the occasion of the Holy Year of Redemption came in 1984, in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican. It was there that the Pope gave to the WYD Cross which became one of the main symbols of WYD, known as the Cross Day.

The following year, 1985 was declared International Youth Year by the United Nations. In March there was another international meeting of the youths in the Vatican and the same year the Pope announced the institution of World Youth Day.

The first was diocesan WYD in Rome in 1986. This was followed by meetings worldwide: in Buenos Aires (Argentina – 1987), with the participation of 1 million youths; in Santiago de Compostela – Spain in 1989 with 600 000 thousand; Czestochowa – Poland in 1991 with 1.5 million youths; in Denver – USA in 1993 with 500 000 thousand; Manila – Philippines in 1995 with 4 million; in Paris – France in 1997 with 1 million; in Rome – Italy in 2000 with 2 million; in Toronto – Canada in 2002 with 800 000 thousand; in Cologne – Germany in 2005 with 1 million; in Sydney – Australia in 2008 with 500 000 thousand and in Madrid – Spain in 2011 with 2 million.

In addition to being in another country, with its tourist charms, participation in the day requires a prepared body for the pilgrimage and an open heart to the wonders that God has in store for each one. They are catechesis, testimonies, sharing, examples of love of your neighbour and the Church, music festivals and cultural activities. Finally, it is a meeting of hearts that are driven by the same belief and hope that the diversity in fraternity is possible.

In 1984 the International Jubilee for the Young was celebrated by John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square in a celebration that also marked the close of the Holy Year of Redemption. At this gathering the Holy Father entrusted youth with what is now known as the World Youth Day (WYD) Cross – one of the most important symbols of WYD.

The UN declared 1985 the first “International Youth Year” and to celebrate it the Holy Father welcomed youth from all over the world in Rome on Palm Sunday. In December of the same year he announced the institution of World Youth Day. It is celebrated annually at the diocesan level on Palm Sunday in Rome and at a week-long event internationally every two to three years.

Summary

(April 2013) Girls and boys in developing countries are enrolling in secondary school in greater numbers than ever before, giving them knowledge and skills for healthy, productive lives. While this is good news, many young people still face challenges to employment, and they must also navigate serious risks to their health, such as smoking, early marriage and childbearing, or having unprotected sex.

The World’s Youth 2013 Data Sheet provides a comprehensive portrait of the well-being of youth ages 10 to 24 across the globe, including such indicators as the current and projected size of youth populations, educational enrollments, labor force participation, marriage and fertility, and health risks and behaviors.

Key findings include:

Teenage Pregnancy and Childbearing
Around the world, many women are pregnant or have given birth by age 18. This scenario is especially true in rural areas, where girls are married young and pressured to start having children immediately. In Zimbabwe, Senegal, and Colombia, more than one in five girls from rural areas are pregnant or have given birth by age 18. Girls from the poorest households are more likely to become pregnant or give birth by age 18 than girls from the wealthiest households.

In Zimbabwe, Senegal, Colombia, and Peru, more than one-quarter of girls from the poorest 20 percent of households have begun childbearing before age 18. And in Peru, the rate of early childbearing is nearly six times greater among girls from the poorest households compared to the wealthiest.

Prevalence of Child Marriage
Child marriage, defined as marriage before age 18, is practiced in all regions of the world. This harmful traditional practice not only violates the human rights of girls and young women, but also threatens their health and well-being. Nearly half of all women ages 20 to 24 in South Central Asia and Western Africa were married by age 18, putting them at a higher risk for early pregnancy and maternal disability and death, and limiting their access to education and employment. Although the prevalence of child marriage is lower in other regions, such as Southeast Asia and Western Asia, nearly one in five girls in those two regions was married by age 18. And in the poorest regions of the world—particularly Eastern Africa, Western Africa, and South Central Asia—more than one in 10 girls were married by age 15.

Adolescent Fertility Rates Worldwide
The adolescent fertility rate measures the number of births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 19. Although the number of births among adolescent girls is declining around the world, adolescent childbearing remains common in many countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Early childbearing poses serious consequences to the health and development of young girls. The risk of maternal death and disability is higher for adolescents than for women in their 20s. At the same time, early childbearing often limits girls’ opportunities for education, training, and livelihood development. Adolescent childbearing is more common in developing countries, where nearly 10 percent of adolescent girls give birth each year, compared to less than 2 percent in developed countries.

Progression to Secondary School
While many countries around the world have seen rapid progress toward universal primary education, ensuring that adolescents start and complete secondary education is crucial to their acquiring the knowledge and skills needed for healthy, productive lives. Progression to secondary school measures the likelihood that children who finish primary school will start their first year of secondary school. In the Philippines, nearly all children progress from primary school to secondary school. In Senegal and Lesotho, fewer than three-quarters of all students start secondary school, with girls less likely to progress compared to boys. While this transition may be more challenging for females than males, young men are also at-risk of leaving school too early. In the Dominican Republic and Mozambique, boys are less likely than girls to start secondary school.

Young People Without Jobs, Education, or Training
Many countries around the world are concerned about young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). While unemployed youth who are in school or receiving training are investing in their future employment prospects and earning potential, NEETs are unemployed and not engaged in education opportunities. When young people are not in contact with the education system or the labor market, they cannot develop key skills for meaningful employment. Across countries with available data, more young women than young men are classified as NEETs. This situation is particularly pronounced in countries like Niger and Pakistan, where more than two of every three young women are NEETs.

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Download The World’s Youth 2013 Data Sheet (PDF: 2MB)

World Youth Day 2013