Four Palestinian youth will also go to Toronto together with the some 400 Swiss youth who will participate in World Youth Day. In spite of the high costs of travel to Canada, the Swiss youth have chosen to make a gesture of solidarity by assuming the cost of the flight tickets for four Christian young people from Palestine, who will be guests in Switzerland for a few days before their departure for Canada. Meanwhile many youth groups in Swiss parishes have organized a series of fund-raising events to finance their participation in the Canadian WYD. For instance the parish of Morges is selling candles and pens with the WYD logo on the Internet at a price of respectively 10 and 2 francs and is also holding a competition whose prize will be a flight ticket to Canada. Other youth groups have produced a cd with music from Suissse Romande or organized theatrical performances (Fribourg). And for those who are unable to go to Toronto, two alternative events are being proposed: first, the chance of spending the period (from 22 to 28 July) in a monastic community (in the monastery of St. Bernard at Collombey), with moments of solitary and group prayer, experiences of work and sharing; and second, a three-day event of various activities, catechesis and prayer in the “Ecole de Mission” at Bouveret (26-28 July). All the details about the WYD are available on the website that the Suisse Romande has dedicated to it: www.jmj.ch/hom_accu.php. Here too young participants can exchange views in a Forum, access technical and logistical information, and obtain posters and materials for spiritual preparation and catechesis, photos, news, surveys, links.
