January 2005″ “

We present the main events involving the Catholic Church and the other Christian Churches in Europe in January. In 2005 the Church is celebrating the Year of the Eucharist, announced by John Paul II on 10 June 2004, the solemnity of Corpus Christi, and opened by the Pope himself in the Vatican basilica on 17 October 2004. 2005 is also the year of the 20th World Youth Day, due to be held in Cologne, in Germany, from 11 to 21 August, on the theme “We have come to worship him”. The United Nations Organization has proclaimed 2005 the “International Year of Microcredit”, while the UN General Assembly has launched the International Year of Sport and Physical Education. For its part, the Council of Europe has proclaimed 2005 the “European Year of Citizenship through Education”. On 1st January 2005 Luxembourg – one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the European Union – assumed, for the eleventh time, the revolving six-monthly presidency of the European Council and Great Britain the annual presidency of the G-8. On the same day Slovenia took over from Bulgaria in the annual presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Irish city of Cork has been declared by the European Commission “European Capital of Culture 2005”. The annual term of office of the new President of the Swiss Confederation Samuel Schmid, hitherto Minister of Defence, also began on 1st January. 10 Meeting of the “Coordination Group” for the Holy Land of European and American bishops with the local Catholic Ordinaries (10-13), in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. 12 International Colloquium (12-14) “Emmanuel Mounier (1905-1950) – Humanism and Personalism”, promoted by the Centro San Luigi dei Francesi in Rome in collaboration with the Pontifical Salesian University and the Pontifical Faculty Auxilium, in Rome. 15 Launch of “Magis” (15-16), spiritual journey “with the Magi” towards WYD in Cologne inspired by the spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola, and promoted by the Jesuits of France, at Clamart (Paris). 16 World Day of the Migrant and Refugee, on the theme “Intercultural integration”. 17 Visit “ad Limina Apostolorum” of the Spanish Bishops (17-31). 18 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25), on the theme “Christ, one foundation of the Church”. World Conference on the reduction of disasters (18-22), at Kobe (Japan), organized by relevant UN agency (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction). 26 5th World Social Forum (26-31), at Porto Alegre (Brazil). 27 “Day of Memory”, on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz concentration camp (27 January 1945). Commemorative events in Germany, Italy, Great Britain and other countries. 30 Parliamentary elections, in Iraq. 31 International Conference (31 Jan.-5 Feb.) on water for food and ecosystems, promoted by the FAO and the Dutch Government, in The Hague.