Great satisfaction for the choice of Sydney as venue for the next World Youth Day, in 2008, was expressed by Card. George Pell, archbishop of the town, immediately after the announcement made by Benedict XVI at the Angelus. "We have been working on this project with the Australian Government for three years said the cardinal to the site gmg2005.it, the official portal for the WYD in Italy. I believe that the plan that has been worked out is sufficiently sound, even though we still have the next three years to work on it. There are 4 million inhabitants in Sydney and one million are Catholics. Five years ago we hosted the Olympic Games and the town is endowed with excellent accommodation facilities to welcome all the pilgrims that will come". The Cardinal’s hope is that with the WYD "we can strengthen the richness of our faith. In Sydney there are also many youth without a religion. It is my intention to do all I can so that the WYD may be a strong experience also for them".
