Accommodation and volunteers are sought: that’s the appeal made by WYD organizers in recent days. So far over 10,000 offers of accommodation have been made by private citizens resident in the archdiocese of Cologne, where World Youth Day will be held next August: most of them are in the city of Cologne itself, the rest scattered over the surrounding area. But some 70,000 lodgings are still needed: that’s why people are being sought who are willing to provide the young guests with accommodation also in neighbouring cities like Düsseldorf and even Berlin. The greater part of the participants in the next WYD will be accommodated in the archdiocese of Cologne, which will be able to provide over half a million places, mainly in schools and gymnasia. Accommodation is also being sought for the 250,000 youngsters who are expected to arrive from all over the world, and who will participate in the “days of meeting” due to take place in all German dioceses before the WYD proper. The WYD organizing office and the Union of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) are also seeking some 20,000 volunteers willing to help in Cologne during WYD in such tasks as the distribution of meals, helping out in the press centre, acting as guides for the disabled and manning the WYD call-centre. Requisites: age of 18 or over and the ability to speak both German and English. Also needed are some 1,000 team leaders for the training of volunteers and 120 “volunteer support managers” for educational formation and to motivate the international teams. Offers of accommodation and/or help should be sent through the official WYD website by 31 December.
