Seven volunteers left their testimony of the faith that moves them, at the Media Center, located in the Carlos Lopes Pavillion, near Eduardo VII Park. The testimonies of these volunteers, in representation of more than 24,000 from more than 140 countries, were shared during the second press conference of the day, before the world’s largest youth meeting with the Pope. 

Micael de Almeida, from Brazil, is part of the team taking care of the health care logistics for the bishops and people with disabilities. In his home country he leads multiple volunteering projects related to the recovery of people with disabilities and, recently, he lost his brother – who also had a disability. Together with his family, he has always fought for accessibility and is seeking to ensure his brother’s legacy is heard by everyone. He states that the reason for him being here today is “because some of the thousands of volunteers have given their lives so that he could be here”. He is trying to do the same at WYD Lisbon 2023: share his Faith with those who are distanced from the Church. 

Miriam Asham, from Egypt, was sitting beside him. She is studying to be a doctor and she found out about WYD Lisbon 2023 through a friend who told her about the incredible experience she had lived through at a previous WYD. She wanted to deepen her personal connection with God and came to the Portuguese capital to meet people with the same faith and the same “wish to live with the love of God. Thank you for receiving me as part of this beautiful event”, she concluded. 

Luís Pina is from Venezuela. “It is not easy nowadays for a Catholic to express his Faith”, he started. He came to the Portuguese edition of World Youth Day because he needed to meet the young Living Christ. “I want to learn and I am here to serve”, he told us. 

Saad Khoram is an Iranian chemical engineer. He started as a pilgrim in Rio and Kraków, carried on as a volunteer – to serve and take part in the multiple events – in Panama and, today, also as a volunteer in Portugal. Getting a visa was hard due to the current situation in his country of origin, but he did not give up. This volunteer sees the WYD as both an opportunity “to share our Faith and understand that of others”, as well as to deepen it along with cultural interchange. “The World is taking time away from us: we are finding it hard to get what we need in life. I hope the WYD makes our Faith stronger and moves us closer to Jesus”, he said. 

From Portugal, Carolina Durães, a university student and a newcomer to the World Youth Day as a volunteer, spoke to us. “This event is made for the youth and by the youth. We are the voice of change. Who better to change the world than the youth?”. She says this is a “great opportunity to grow together”. 

Agnes Flora Gomes, from Bangladesh, shared her joy of being in Portugal as a volunteer for the upcoming World Youth Day. In her home country “only 2% are Catholics”. In a few words, she assured us that she came to Lisbon to “bring and live this Faith”.