On Saturday morning, January 28, 1200 trees dedicated to World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023 were planted in Arouca Geopark. This planting action was fully funded by the proceeds of the World Youth Day (WYD) Global Race, an initiative launched in October 2022 by the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation and Move Sports, with the official sponsorship of Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa.

About 170 young people participated in this moment, helping to plant cork oaks and oak trees. Representatives from the Diocesan Secretariat for Youth (SDPJ), scouts from Terras de Santa Maria Nucleus, the Youth Association 4540 Arouca, the group of young people from Mansores, the Moldes parish council and the Moldes wasteland Association were present.

For the CNE Regional Representative in Porto, "the scouts could never fail to participate", since, as he pointed out, "our mission is to do good deeds every day". In addition, he left an invitation to all young scouts to participate in WYD Lisbon 2023, as it is "a unique opportunity."

At the same time, another action took place at the Lipor Adventure Park & Ecological Trail, in Baguim do Monte (Gondomar) /Ermesinde (Valongo), where about 150 native trees were planted, also dedicated to WYD Lisbon 2023.

As José Manuel Ribeiro, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Lipor, told Voz Portucalense, "our connection to WYD was almost natural". "It is a very important moment in the life of the Christian community, where there is also a concern for biodiversity and sustainability," he said.

D. Manuel Linda, Bishop of Porto, was also present at this moment, along with dozens of young people who did not want to miss this initiative and recalled the words of Pope Francis, stressing the need to care for our "common home."

Keeping in mind that "the environment is a collective good, the heritage of all humanity and the responsibility of all" (LS 95), the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation, in partnership with Global Tree Initiative, launched the world tree-planting challenge that aims to alert to the importance of biodiversity and climate change, raising awareness of its effects.

After this Saturday's planting, there are already more than 4000 trees dedicated to WYD Lisbon 2023, planted in various parts of the world, such as Angola, India, Nigeria, France, Australia, Brazil and Portugal.

To offset part of the environmental footprint generated by all the activities involved in the organization of WYD Lisbon 2023, the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation invites everyone to plant a tree and dedicate it to WYD Lisbon 2023. Learn more here.