Cebu to host National Youth Day

CEBU, Philippines — Despite the talked-about traffic crisis here, Cebu City has been chosen as host for National Youth Day (NYD), one of the biggest religious events in 2019 that will gather youth members of the Catholic Church across the country.

Cebu Archbishop José Palma made the announcement during the dawn mass he celebrated on Palm Sunday, which culminated the 32nd Local World Youth Day (LWYD) in Cebu.

The NYD, which will be participated by an estimated 15,000 delegates, will take place on April 23 - 28 and its activities will be undertaken mainly in Cebu City.

There will be an estimated 10,000 delegates from the Cebu Archdiocese alone.

With these numbers, Frankel Gerard Margallo, coordinator of the Cebu Archdiocesan Commission on Youth, said the traffic problem here was one of the concerns raised by the NYD organizers.

Delegates to the NYD usually travel to the venues of activities from the houses of their host families.

Palma said there have been several meetings with different commissions and committees in the local and national levels to prepare for next year's event.

He said organizers are now working on the program, particularly on the topics that will be tackled and the speakers that will be invited.

"We focus more on the youth... and the activities will be centered on them... Through these, we strive that the young can reflect more on the importance of their individual lives, their ministry and all other works they do to help their fellow youth," Palma said.

He encouraged all parishes in the Cebu Archdiocese being to be involved in the NYD activities to make the event "fruitful and meaningful."

"Everyone in the Philippines is anticipating for this especially that 2019 is marked as the Year of the Youth," he said.

It was the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that designated the Cebu Archdiocese to organize the event, which will happen on the "Year of the Youth" of the Catholic Church.

Since 2012, a theme is assigned every year leading to 2021, which will mark the fifth centenary of the arrival of Christianity in the country.

History tells that Christianity entered the country through the shores of Cebu.

Recognizing the role of the younger generation to spreading the Christian faith, Palma told participants of LWYD: "The youth is a very important aspect and part of the Church. They are the present and the future of the Church. Let the youth be the best evangelizers of the youth.” (FREEMAN)