On July 1st, more than 300 volunteers met at the Colégio Rainha Santa Isabel, in the Diocese of Coimbra, for a meeting with the volunteers of the 21 Territorial Organising Committees (TOC). The purpose of the meeting was to reflect on and prepare the "Days of the Dioceses". 

D. Virgílio Antunes, Bishop of Coimbra, was present at this moment and recalled the importance of everyone's work. "Being a volunteer is already a special mission, but being a Christian volunteer brings us even closer to God, who made us in his image and likeness", he emphasised.

The meeting began with a concert by Father João Paulo Vaz, composer of the Official Hymn of World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2022, and the WYD Band. The day continued with lots of entertainment, dynamics and games. The Federation of Blood Donor Associations was also present to encourage young people to donate blood. Some even had the opportunity to make their first blood donation in the collection areas prepared by the Portuguese Institute of Blood and Transplantation.  

The day ended with a community prayer. The Volunteers' meeting also had a solidarity aspect, with the raising of a symbolic amount for the Palhaços D'opital association. 

The Days in Dioceses (DND) is a gathering of young people from around the world that precedes World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023 and will take place in 17 dioceses of mainland Portugal and the islands: Algarve; Angra; Aveiro; Beja; Braga; Bragança-Miranda; Coimbra; Évora; Funchal; Guarda; Lamego; Leiria-Fátima; Portalegre-Castelo Branco; Porto; Viana do Castelo; Vila Real and Viseu. Find out more here.