Songpa-gu joins hands with organizing committee for successful 2027 Seoul World Youth Day

Songpa-gu signed an MOU Thursday with the organizing committee of the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day, launching full-scale cooperation toward a successful event.

World Youth Day (WYD) is a large-scale international gathering where Catholic youth from around the world come together to share their faith and culture. Founded in 1985 by Pope John Paul II, the event is hosted by the Holy See and organized locally by the 2027 Seoul World Youth Day Organizing Committee.

The event will run from July 29 to Aug. 8 next year across Seoul and 15 regional dioceses nationwide, with up to 1 million participants expected from Korea and abroad.

The signing ceremony, held at Songpa-gu Office, was attended by Songpa-gu District Mayor Seo Gang-seok and Father Ha Hyeong-min, head of the 10th District of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul, who represented Organizing Committee Chairman Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick, along with six other officials from both organizations.

Under the agreement, Songpa-gu will provide support by leveraging local facilities, infrastructure and administrative resources, while the organizing committee will build a cooperative framework with the 10th District of the Catholic Archdiocese of Seoul to promote community harmony and enhance convenience for participants.

Songpa-gu plans to draw on its experience hosting a wide range of large-scale events to work with the organizing committee and local diocese in ensuring the smooth operation of the gathering and improving the experience for attendees.

"World Youth Day is a meaningful international event where young people from across the globe connect and come together beyond borders and cultures," District Mayor Seo said. "Through this agreement, we will work closely with the organizing committee and the local community, and spare no effort in providing the support and cooperation needed at the district level for the event to be a success."