News from Madrid

Restaurants and coffee-shops to appease the pilgrimsThe youth attending the WYD in Madrid the third week of August will benefit from the restaurant network of the Greater Madrid Area, thanks to an agreement with the FEHRCAREM (Association of Modern Restaurant Chains) restaurant association. FEHRCAREM has reached an agreement with the Vineyard Association that brings together hundreds of independent restaurants and bars. Together they will cater for the pilgrims and the volunteer workers of the WYD in Madrid. Some 400 000 participants in the World Youth Day who asked for meal facilitations will receive a set of meal vouchers that can be used across hundreds of restaurants participating in the initiative of the Madrid Community. Madrid’s welcome network will distribute some 6 million meals during the third week of August. In the mornings of August 16 to 19, the youth will take part in the catechesis that will be imparted by world bishops, which will be held across municipalities of the Madrid Community. Restaurants located near the areas of the catechesis will provide “pilgrim menus” so that young people can have something to eat without having to travel long distances or wait in line. The youth can choose from different menus and dishes. Special meals for pilgrims with food disorders such as celiac disease and diabetes will also be available. FHERCAREM will install special food stalls to avoid overcrowding in restaurants. Two advertisements for the registration of the young people from Spain As the World Youth Day in Madrid draws near – in approximately two months – the organizers seek to get more people to register, notably Spanish youth, as explained on June 7 in a conference providing an update on the WYD preparations. One of the reasons for which registration is requested is in order to collaborate in the Solidarity Fund, which allows young people without resources to attend the World Youth Day. To date, € 780,000 have been distributed and the goal is to reach the figure of 2 million euros. A dedicated campaign was launched consisting in two ads with the slogan “Some trains only pass once in a lifetime”. The campaign features an original song (Get on!), written by the team of Marketing and Campaigns for World Youth Day and their volunteers. The Director of the WYD Marketing Gabriel González-Andrío, explained, “with this campaign we wish to highlight the contrast between between what it means to travel alone in this life versus the ability to share and enjoy this journey with others”. In the same meeting it was announced that the activity generated by the WYD will imply “zero cost to the taxpayer and an over 100-million-dollar economic boost for Spain”. Fernando Giménez Barriocanal, Chief Financial Officer of World Youth Day said that of this amount, it has been estimated that “about 50 million will come from abroad and will stay in Spain”. This benefit has added to the international impact that Spain will have, showing itself to be a country capable of organizing and attracting more than a million young people from around the world. Giménez Barriocanal pointed out that the WYD is self-financed by the contributions of pilgrims (70%) in addition to those from companies and individuals (30%). Giménez Barriocanal expressed his appreciation for support from the government and hundreds of corporate sponsors. In fact, the Government of Spain has dubbed WYD “an event of exceptional public interest”, which implies tax benefits for sponsors.A charity football match for the WYD On May 30, the Atletico Madrid Foundation and the World Youth Day presented the initiative “Thank You!” at the Vicente Calderón stadium that will close the WYD in Madrid on August 21. The central event is a charity football game that will feature a friendly face-off between a select group of former Spanish soccer players and others from around the world. The General Director for Sport of the Madrid Community Carlota Castrejana, and Alejandro Blanco, President of the Spanish Olympic Committee along with Borja Ezcurra, director of WYD sponsoring and Enrique Cerezo, President of the Atletico Madrid, presented the sport and charity event for the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid. For Enrique Cerezo “Being able to contribute to events of this magnitude is always an extraordinary opportunity. The WYD has an understanding of solidarity that goes hand-in-hand with the ideals of the Foundation “Atlético de Madrid” and it gives young people the chance to have a fulfilling experience in transmitting the message of solidarity. Football is a useful tool in improving people’s lives”. Proceeds from the match will go towards funding the WYD as well as a charity project carried out in cooperation with the Atletico Madrid Foundation. Info: www.madrid11tienda.com.