9 out of 10 think that WYD is an experience that changes lives, and that the faith helps to mature, to accept the suffering and to be happy.

     Some of the Youth that participate in the World Youth Day

Madrid, July 11, 2010. - How is the “young person of WYD? That is the questions that the GAD (Cabinet of Electoral Analysis) has tried to answer, by conducting a study among 1,800 youth from the five continents that follow the news about World Youth Day.

The majority of those surveyed are under 30 years of age and 9 out of ten consider the WYD as “an experience that changes your life.” In this sense, one out of four youth interviewed has participated before in one of the Youth Days. Of these, more than half traveled with the Pope to Cologne (61%) and to Sydney (44%), and almost all of the youth who attended the WYD of 2005 and 2008 (98%) positively value their experience (80% very positive and 18% positive).

9 out of 10 youth interviewed consider their principal reason for going to the WYD is to have a new experience (93%); to spread Jesus Christ message (92%); to express their commitment to the Church (90%) and to satisfy their spiritual anxieties. The youth also attend WYD to meet people (87%) and to be with people who think like them (88%).

Faith as a fundamental element for life
In this manner, WYD youth think that faith in Christ is very positive in being able to forgive others (85%), to be in solidarity and to help the needy (80%) and to mature and to become a better person (79%). Other reasons are to accept the suffering and to be happy (75%) and to have clear ideas (88%).

More information regarding the WYD Poll elaborated by GAD (Cabinet of Electoral Analysis)