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<title>TORONTO TO HOST WORLD YOUTH DAY IN 2002</title>
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<p><font face="Arial"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"></font><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>August 20, 2000 <em>(12:00 p.m. EDT)</em> No. 204</strong></font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial" size="+1"><strong>TORONTO TO HOST WORLD YOUTH DAY IN 2002</strong></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy has welcomed the announcement that
His Holiness Pope John Paul II has selected Toronto as the site of the 2002 World
Youth Day. The Pope announced his choice at the close of the 15th World Youth Day
today in Rome.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">"His Holiness Pope John Paul II has greatly honoured Canada by selecting Toronto as
the site of the next gathering of Catholic young people from all over the world," said
Minister Axworthy. "These young pilgrims will be here demonstrating their faith and their
hope in the future. I am sure that all Canadians will be very pleased to welcome them."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The event, in which hundreds of thousands of young people will converge on Toronto in
late July 2002, will be sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. It
will be preceded by pastoral activities throughout Canada.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">The first World Youth Day was organized in Rome in 1984 at the request of Pope
John Paul II. These great pastoral gatherings have also taken place in Buenos Aires
(1987), Santiago de Compostela (1989), Czestochowa (1991), Denver (1993), Manila
(1995) and Paris (1997).</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">World Youth Days are spiritual and cultural events in which Roman Catholic young
people the world over profess their faith and renew their ties with the Church. In the
spirit of ecumenism, they also invite youth of other religions to reaffirm their faith.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Dennis Mills, Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth, represented the Government
of Canada at this year's World Youth Day. Ontario Premier Mike Harris and Toronto
Mayor Mel Lastman also travelled to Rome for the event.</font></p>
<p align="CENTER"><font face="Arial">- 30 -</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">For further information, media representatives may contact:</font></p>
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<p><font face="Arial">Debora Brown</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1851</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Media Relations Office</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">Department of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial">(613) 995-1874</font></p>
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