Dutch youth are being offered no less than four travel options to enable them to participate in the next World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney, Australia, in 2008 (15-20 July), as reported by the secretariat of the Catholic Church in Holland. The various travel packages are being organized by Jong Katholiek, the youth association of the Dutch Church. There’s a pre-programme, the central part of the programme and a post-programme. Apart from those who organize their own travel independently and leave with rucksack on their back, all the other Dutch participants will leave for Canberra on 10 July 2008; there the preparatory programme will begin. The participants will be received in the Australian capital as guests in people’s homes and have an opportunity to take part in Australian daily life. They will then travel to Sydney on 14 July, in time for the opening of WYD on the following day. The young will welcome the Pope on 17 July and a nocturnal vigil will be held on 19. The central part of the programme will conclude on 20 July with the closing of WYD. Those who have opted for the organized travel, after the end of WYD, will have the option of travelling on to Ballarat and the south-west of the country, as far as Melbourne.
