The second Rise Up Preparatory Encounter, released on 3rd May, addresses the issue of Social Friendship, based on Pope Francis' Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, which invites us to promote fraternity and peace.

After reflecting on the theme of Integral Ecology in the first Preparatory Encounter, young people are now asked to reflect and debate on the issue of Social Friendship. "We now want, on the threshold of the WYD, on the threshold of the encounter with the Pope, to dive in the main teaching of this Pope," said Rui Teixeira, a volunteer in the Directorate of Pastoral Care of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023.

In an increasingly digital world, where "it is possible to be connected at any time, to have any friend from any part of the planet", "this does not mean that friendship, true friendship and fraternity are unshakable", stressed Rui Teixeira.

This second Rise Up Preparatory Encounter invites young people to identify the risk for this friendship and fraternity which, according to Rui Teixeira, "lies in individualism, in looking at our reality and thinking that all realities are equal". It is in this sense that Pope Francis invites young people to go out to the peripheries.

Find out more about this encounter here:

These Rise UP Preparatory Encounters are open to all young people and groups who wish to participate, even if they are pilgrims of the WYD Lisbon 2023 or not, like catechesis and youth groups or movements and ecclesial realities linked to youth and university ministries.

The groups will be able to organize the sessions according to their needs Support materials will be available for them here. In addition, all groups are invited to submit their reflections in an online form here.