Baltimore Archdiocese making plans for World Youth Day 2019 in Panama

Catholics age 18 to 35 can reach out to the Archdiocese of Baltimore to sign up for World Youth Day Panama 2019.

An information session took place Oct. 10 at Church of the Resurrection in Ellicott City with Sarah Jarzembowski, coordinator of Young Adult and College Campus Ministry for the archdiocese.

“I’ve taken delegations to World Youth Day for several years now and I can tell you that this is an incredible experience of faith and fellowship,” said Jarzembowski.

The Baltimore Archdiocese, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of Washington, has secured a tour operator to oversee all the arrangements of the young adult delegation that will travel to the Central American country.

“Dube Travel was in charge of putting together a travel package for the pilgrimage to Krakow in 2016,” Jarzembowksi said. “We were very happy with the results and that’s why we will be working with them again for Panama.”

The main site for WYD 2019 festivities will be “Cinta Costera” (Coastal Ribbon) in Panama City. Vatican security evaluated the venue and concluded that it has the right size, best number of access points, and appropriate emergency and resident management capacity for an event of this magnitude.

Panama is a country of 4 million in Central America that borders Costa Rica and Colombia and has access to both the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean. It is home to the Panama Canal, a monumental structure built in 1914 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who, for more than 80 years, was entrusted with its management and maintenance.

There are several requirements, including forms, waivers, reservations, documents and payments, to join the Baltimore delegation for WYD 2019. These need to be reviewed and approved by Oct. 18, 2018.

The Baltimore Archdiocese has created a website with all the information necessary to sign up. Jarzembowski will conduct an informational webinar Nov. 8 at 7 p.m., covering WYD history, finances, travel package information, preparation activities and registration.

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