Virtually speaking the world will get smaller as World Youth Day 2011 organizers in Madrid sets up live video and radio streaming of the event on its official website. The WYD 2011 Secretariat in Madrid are collaborating with Radio María and 98.3 Radio Universidad de Navarra. The Radio Coverage is intended for Pilgrims attending the World Youth Day in order to follow the events that will take place I different locations in Madrid. The official World Youth Day Radio will be called Radio JMJ, utilizing the frequency 96.9 FM and 90.7 FM and facilities of the above mentioned radio stations.

While Radio JMJ will keep pilgrims and participants posted, WYD 2011 Web TV or simply Madrid 11 TV on the other hand will beam live streaming video of the event anywhere in the globe via the official web portal. This is not the first time that a live video streaming was set up. In 2008, XT3.com, the official social network of the WYD in Sydney also broadcasted the event live for those young people who cannot attend the said celebration. This is another opportunity for the young people who cannot attend the said event but wanted to follow in real time the celebration. According to Loreto Corredoira, the person in charge of Madrid 11 TV, “There will be six hours of broadcast a day from August 16th, including the events presided by the Pope, and the main cultural and catechetical events. These programs will be transmitted again at night for people living in Asia and America”. So book mark the site now: Radio JMJ and Madrid 11 TV.

In other World Youth Day News,

European Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts will also be joining the World Youth Day as an agreement between the organizers and the International Union of Guides and Scouts of Europe. The Scouts has been training for months now and will serve as venue guides and ushers for pilgrims and will assist in accommodations during the said event. Scouts will come from 17 different countries composed of 55,000 young Catholics from Russia, Ukraine, Czech Republic, France, Italy, Spain and beyond.

The Comisariado Europeo del Automovil, a Spanish automobile association, and World Youth Day is collaboration to make the event safer for the volunteers who are assigned to drive as part of their WYD Volunteer duties. No, they will not drive Ferraris and Porsche, but will undergo. Two types of driving courses. One will focus on efficient driving, teaching volunteers techniques to reduce emissions when driving in the city. A second course will focus on defensive driving and teach volunteers techniques meant to avoid collisions. That course will take place on the Jerez Racetrack, a famous motorcross race track in the Andalucia region of Spain.

And finally, would you believe that World Youth Day Pilgrims attending Madrid will be taking their meals at restaurants? Fancy huh? Young people attending World Youth Day (WYD) the third week of August will benefit from the restaurant network of the Greater Madrid Area, thanks to an agreement with the FEHRCAREM (Association of Modern Restaurant Chains) restaurant association. These network of Restaurants,Fastfoods, and cafes will be tasked to feed an estimated 2 million mouths three times a day. Registered Pilgrims and Volunteers will be able to taste the sweet delights and culinary masterpieces of these restaurants by presenting their stabs and tickets which will be included in their official kits and pack.

It seems that the Archdiocese of Madrid has poured all of its resources and connections just to make this event successful. As early as now, we are already congratulating the people behind the event for a job well done. With all the collaborations with other institutions and entities, I can say that this is not an easy event to organize. The planning and preparation is almost over as World Youth Day approaches, what remains to be seen is how all of this collaborations would shape up the event. OTWOMD will be there to pray for the success of this event. MY only sincere hope and wish is that, may this event be not too commercialized, remember, this is not a party, it’s a celebration. They are too different things.