Like many events that exists, World Youth Day has also traditions that make it even more successful in the past years. One such traditions is that the Pope would always attend the said event, or else it wouldn’t be a World Youth Day because the Pope himself actually initiated this even 25 years ago. Other traditions and culture of World Youth Day exist because it replenishes the soul, it enhances the camaraderie of young people and it gives color to the celebration. What started as an activity finally became an annual tradition or perhaps a culture best exemplified through this details.

The purpose of World Youth Day is threefold:

• Gathering together: World Youth Day is a coming together of young people from all over the world and a strong reminder of the strength and confidence the young bring to the Catholic Church today. A calling for the world’s youth to come together as one people.

• Putting trust in the young: World Youth Day is not simply a gathering for the young people of the world, but a time to put trust in the world’s youth.

• Meeting the international world on a human level: It is still a marvel in this the 21st Century to exchange with others and to be a part of an international experience. International events are able to stir much hope but also many fears (increase in fundamentalism, nationalism and other new conflicts). The Catholic Church and Christians feel themselves to have a role to play in preventing the development of these fears, and in aiding each person in finding their way and discovering hope.