SPOTLIGHT 26/03/05 Seoul WYD 2027 implementation phase preparations begin

[성기화 요셉]

Some 245 youth leaders and representatives joined the online event held from Rome

Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul (center), who is the president of the Local Organizing Committee of World Youth Day 2027, is seen during the 'Kick-off Meeting for the Implementation Phase' on March 5. (Photo: Seoul Archdiocese)

By UCA News reporter

Published: March 09, 2026 11:27 AM GMT

Updated: March 09, 2026 11:43 AM GMT

The preparations for the implementation phase of the World Youth Day Seoul 2027 kicked off with a global meeting, says a press release from the host of the next edition of the global Catholic youth event.

The online “Kick-off Meeting for the Implementation Phase” of the WYD 2027 on March 5 was jointly hosted by the WYD Seoul Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.

Some 245 youth leaders and representatives from bishops’ conferences, ecclesial movements, and communities around the world joined the meeting, the release from the LOC said.

The event was moderated from the Dicastery’s conference room in Rome.

In his opening address, Archbishop Peter Soon-taick Chung of Seoul, the president of the LOC, presented four key words that summarize the vision of Seoul 2027: encounter, pastoral care, pilgrimage, and mission.

He said the upcoming World Youth Day in Seoul should be “a place where young people discover that they are not alone, encounter God and one another, and are sent back to their daily lives renewed in faith.”

He also described Seoul as “a city where tradition and the future meet, where hospitality and community are lived, and where peace is deeply longed for.”

Father Franco Galdino, the youth coordinator of the Dicastery, said that World Youth Day is “a shared journey in which the Church accompanies young people toward an encounter with Christ.”

The program also included a presentation on the Church in Korea, the pilgrimage of the WYD symbols, and the pastoral and spiritual meaning of WYD Seoul 2027.

Organizers introduced the event’s key themes and characteristics, including Korean culture, language, and Seoul’s identity as a technologically advanced city. The official website, social media channels, and the LOC’s international communication contact points were also presented.

The LOC further introduced its pilgrim participation packages. A total of nine package types will be offered, based on meal and accommodation options.

Organizers also announced that package contributions will increase by 10 percent compared to previous WYD editions, reflecting global inflation and local costs while seeking to keep the burden on pilgrims as low as possible. More detailed information on the packages will be published soon on the official WYD Seoul 2027 website.

Pope John Paul II introduced WYD in 1985, with an aim to bring young people together to deepen their faith, experience the universality of the Church, and foster peace and understanding. The triennial global event features prayer, pilgrimage, sharing, music, and dance.

The latest WYD in the Portuguese capital Lisbon attracted more than 300,000 youths and representatives from about 200 countries from Aug. 1-6, 2023. The closing mass led by late Pope Francis reportedly drew 1.5 million people.

The WYD 2027 is scheduled to take place from July 29 to Aug. 8.