Pope to meet young University professors in Madrid

As many as 1.5 million people are expected to World Youth Day celebrations in just under 3 weeks time in the Spanish capital.

Organisers also announced an encounter between Pope Benedict XVI and an estimated 1,500 active university lecturers all under 40 years of age, mostly from Spain, but also including representatives from other countries. The meeting will take place in the El Escorial on Friday August 19th, directly after the Holy Father’s scheduled meeting with contemplative religious. Confirming the news the executive director of World Youth Day in Madrid, Yago de la Cierva, explained that the aim of the event is to offer to the professor-Pope the opportunity 'to meet young colleagues".

Of the almost 400 thousand young people who have already registered to take part in WYD Madrid. WYD chief coordinator Yago de la Cierva underlined a prevalence from Italy, France and the U.S.. More than a thousand young people have registered from South Africa, as well as approximately 20 thousand volunteers, of which 1300 Poles are already learning Spanish for the occasion.

Previously Card. Antonio Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid and president of the Spanish Episcopal Conference had said "for its part, the Government has recognized the Iberian World Youth Day as an "event of exceptional public interest." "Between August 16 - 21, Madrid will become 'the youth capital of the world”.