An international conference on World Youth Day, organised by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, was held from 10 to 13 April 2003 in Rome. There were over 200 participants representing youth ministry in about 70 countries and 45 international movements, associations and communities.

The objective of the meeting was to gather feedback from World Youth Day in Toronto (2002), to initiate the spiritual and organisational preparation for World Youth Day in Cologne (2005), and to promote common reflection on World Youth Day and the priorities of youth ministry in our times. The Toronto and the Cologne organising committee representatives were present.

The 200 delegates participated officially at the Meeting of the young people of the diocese of Rome with the Holy Father in Saint Peter’s Square on Thursday, 10 April in the afternoon, and at the Palm Sunday Mass celebrated by the Holy Father in Saint Peter’s Square which was dedicated to the 18^th World Youth Day.

The addresses given during the conference, in order of presentation, are as follows:

- Young People seeking the Face of Christ in Cologne WYD in 2005
James Francis Card. Stafford, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity

- The path of preparation for WYD 2005
Bishop Stanisław Ryłko, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity

- The world of youth today: who are they and what do they seek?
Rev. Tony Anatrella, Psychoanalyst, specialist in Social Psychiatry

- Youth of today face to face with Christ and the Church
Rev. Giorgio Pontiggia, Rector of Istituto Sacro Cuore in Milan.

- A spirituality on the move: The results of a survey among Italian participants in WYD in Rome and Toronto
Rev. Paolo Giulietti, Head of Youth Ministry Services, Italian Bishops’ Conference

-  Youth ministry today: What response to the expectations of the Church and of young people?
Rev. Francis Kohn, Head of Youth Section, Pontifical Council for the Laity

- Concluding remarks
James Francis Card. Stafford, President of the Pontifical Council for the Laity