Fed: Sydney formally accepted as host of 2008 World Youth meet

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2006
Fed: Sydney formally accepted as host of 2008 World Youth meet

Sydney has formally accepted its role as the next host of World Youth Day at a ceremony in Rome.

Six young Australians have received the World Youth Day Cross and Icon at the ceremony
.. held on Palm Sunday and overseen by Pope BENEDICT.

The New South Wales and federal governments have announced they'll contribute a total
of 40 million dollars .. to help Sydney stage the next gathering of the world's young
Catholics.

The week-long festival in July 2008 is expected to attract up to 500 thousand visitors
.. and is scheduled to be Pope BENEDICT'S first Papal mass in Australia.

AAP RTV dcr/wf/psm/

KEYWORD: YOUTH (SYDNEY)

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