Religion 17/08/06 Asian Youth Day participants commit to wisely use social media - They promise to use this modern tool to share the Word of God and inspire ot

[성기화 요셉]

Asian Youth Day participants commit to wisely use social media

They promise to use this modern tool to share the Word of God and inspire others

Participants of the 7th Asian Youth Day during the conclusion of the festivities in Yogyakarta Aug. 6. (ucanews.com photo) 

Katharina R. Lestari and Konradus Epa, Yogyakarta
Indonesia

August 7, 2017

More than 2,000 young people from 21 Asian countries have committed to use social media to spread positivity and share the Word of God to inspire others.

Their commitment was read out by two representatives of the young people during a closing ceremony of the 7th Asian Youth Day festivities in Yogyakarta Aug. 6. It included a three-day live-in program in 11 Indonesian dioceses as well as a three-day celebration and a one-day meeting of youth ministers.

"Technology and social media have become social part of our life as young people. We will use these tools responsibly to spread positivity and goodness rather than negativity and hatred, to share the Word of God and to inspire others," they said.

"Through these, we can keep the fire within us alive and light the hearts of those around us," they said.

"When we go home, we will inspire our families and friends to join us in our journey and experience to Gospel," they said.

Deril De Melo, a 25-year-old participant from India, committed to focus on social media for the next three years.

"I will start a youth ministry and actively spread the Gospel message through social media. I will also ask my friends to have Facebook and Twitter accounts so that I can share the Gospel message with them," he told ucanews.com.

For Saharon Padilla from the Philippines, the internet is the main challenge faced by young people in her country.

"Youth are very much interested in social media. But with my participation in the Asian Youth Day festivities, I will spread the Good News through my Facebook account," she said, believing that it will bring young people closer to God.

Bishop Joel Zamudio Baylon, who heads the youth desk at the Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences' Office of Laity and Family, hoped that young people will be able to learn from their experience in Yogyakarta.

"It is not just telling stories but also inviting the young to journey with other youth to appreciate precisely the gift of God," he said.

The Youth Desk of the FABC-Office of Laity and Family stages Asian Youth Day in cooperation with the Youth Commissions of the respective national bishop's conferences. The event is held every three years.

"Joyful Asian Youth! Living the Gospel in Multicultural Asia," was the theme for the 7th Asian Youth Day to be held in Yogyakarta in Semarang Diocese.

The 6th Asian Youth Day with the theme "Asian Youth! Wake Up!" was held in Korea in 2014.

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