The altar stage of the World Youth Day is decorated almost 100 days before the event

Less than four months before the start of World Youth Day (WYD), the main venue for the event at the Tejo Trancao Park (Lisbon and Loures) is starting to take shape and work is expected to be completed by the end of June. .

In reverse order, dozens of machines operate every day on the approximately 100 hectares that make up the Tejo Trancao Park, in the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures, which will be occupied by thousands of young pilgrims from all over the world in August. .

As Lusa discovered on site, both on the Lisbon side and on the Loures side, earthworks are still ongoing on the ground to open pathways and create conditions for the installation of sewerage, water, electricity and the Internet.

On the Lisbon side, where most of the sites (each the equivalent of a football field) already resemble a green meadow, there is also a pedestrian and bicycle bridge under construction that will connect the two banks of Trancao, and an altar stage, the design of which had to be revised and resized due to criticisms of about the cost.

The bicycle bridge, under the responsibility of EMEL (Lisbon Mobility and Parking Company), is an investment of 4.2 million euros and, according to the Lisbon Chamber, should be completed in May.

The stage altar, originally priced at 4.2 million euros, will cost a total of 2.9 million euros.

One project that was considered but ultimately rejected by the city councils of Lisbon and Loures was the construction of a military bridge, which was an investment of around one million euros, half supported by the two municipalities.

Speaking to Lusa, Lisbon City Council Vice President Filipe Anacoreta Correia (CDS-PP) explained that it would be “unnecessary” infrastructure and “great demand in terms of investment.”

“It would be an investment that would have to be canceled the day after the event. Therefore, after all considerations, it was decided not to continue,” he explained.

Last week, also speaking with Lusa, Loures Deputy Mayor Sonia Paixao (PS) had already said the project would be rejected, saying it did not justify the investment.

As for the work being carried out in the Tejo Trancao Park on the Lisbon side, Filipe Anacoreta Correia gave a “very positive” assessment, predicting that they could be completed “even earlier than originally planned.”

“We believe that at the end of this month, this enterprise, earthworks, infrastructure preparation of all this vast land will be completed. Then there will be other work. Here is the altar. We believe that long before World Youth Day begins, all work will be completed,” the mayor said.

However, the person in charge of the WYD in the Lisbon City Council stressed the “scale” and “demands” of the work, adding that “more structural” works have been awarded and are in the process of being completed.

“Let’s assume that on the part of the Chamber in the main work we give a frankly positive assessment. Now the event should happen. It is necessary to connect all the parts, and this is the time when the nerves begin to give up. and we have an idea that this event requires total mobilization,” he said.

Although he noted that he trusts “the work of other organizations”, the Vice President of the Lisbon Chamber was “concerned” about the spread of plans for mobility (the first of three phases has already been submitted), health and safety, government responsibility to finalize “other details” .

“It is necessary to respond in the field of health, to give answers in the field of mobility. We cannot improvise. And we, at the Lisbon Chamber, are also keen to see this response and this implementation,” he said. emphasized.

On the north coast of Trancao, on the Loures side, work began on 75 hectares of fenced area at the beginning of the month and, according to the Vice President of the Loures Municipality, Sonia Paixao, “continues at a good pace”, which is sure to be completed in June.

“We are in the process of deforestation, leveling the land. We are preparing everything to have the necessary conditions for receiving pilgrims. Sites and paths will be made. We are talking about more than 50 sites that will be designed here,” the mayor said.

Sonia Paixao explained that, from Lures’ side, the works are of “low technical complexity” and that therefore “90 days is enough to guarantee their execution.”

“The contractor has placed a very significant set of resources here. We are talking about more than 30 trucks, more than 30 cars, in total 70 people who are here every day. This is work that will be done without interruption. “, emphasized.

Lisbon has been chosen by Pope Francis for the next World Youth Day, which will take place from 1 to 6 August this year, with the main ceremonies taking place in Tagus Park, north of Parque das Nasuens, on the banks of the river. Tagus, on the lands of the municipalities of Lisbon and Loures.

WYD was born at the initiative of Pope John Paul II after the success of the meeting organized in 1985 in Rome as part of the International Year of Youth.

The first edition took place in 1986 in Rome, having already passed through Buenos Aires (1987), Santiago de Compostela (1989), Czestochowa (1991), Denver (1993), Manila (1995). Paris (1997), Rome (2000), Toronto (2002), Cologne (2005), Sydney (2008), Madrid (2011), Rio de Janeiro (2013), Krakow (2016) and Panama (2019).

This year’s edition, which will be closed by the Pope, was originally scheduled for 2022 but was delayed due to the covid-19 pandemic.

Pope Francis was the first to register for JMJLisboa2023 on October 23, 2022 at the Vatican after the Angelus celebration. This gesture marked the worldwide opening of registration for the World Youth Meeting with the Pope.

To date, over half a million young people have begun the registration process.