Farewell to Media Persons Travelling to Australia for World Youth Day By the Ambassador.

(July 11, 2008) We are honoured that the Holy Father will come and be among us. And we are delighted that such a large number of young pilgrims, from more than 160 countries, will come with him, to join the young Australian pilgrims in their great celebration of World Youth Day, said the Ambassador of Australia, Anne Maree Plunkett. She was speaking to the media persons on Thursday 10^th of July at Vatican as she bid them farewell on their visit to Sydney Australia along with the Pope. She added that they go there, to be there, to be among the Australians. The distance, and the effort required to get to Australia, makes the visit more precious, and the welcome more enthusiastic, more appreciative. She said that the focus of attention in Sydney right now is the enormous task of hosting more than 200,000 pilgrims who will gather next week. Even though it is a diverse nation, largely an immigrant nation, but with an ancient indigenous people, who settled in Australia more than 40,000 ago – possibly the oldest continuously living culture on Earth, she added. As a founding member of the United Nations, Australia has long supported the UN’s key role in world affairs. This role was acknowledged in a special way when by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI visited the UN headquarters in New York earlier this year. She wished well for Fr Lombardi and his team who will have a busy schedule ahead and hoped that they will also take the opportunity to get to know Australia, to explore our beautiful land, and to understand something of their culture. Making a mention of the Australian Blessed Mary Mackillop, she recalled her silent dedicated work in Australia in the field of education. On a personal note she said, that their visit to Australia with the Holy Father is inspiring and professionally satisfying; that they will take the time to get to know them and that their reports home will reflect a very positive experience of Australia.