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Canada Issues Youth Conference Stamp

From July 18-28, hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from all over the world have come together in Toronto, Canada, as it hosts the 17th annual World Youth Day - the largest conference ever in Canada's largest city.

To honor this event, Canada Post scheduled a cross-shaped diecut 48¢ domestic letter-rate stamp, shown on at right, for release on July 23.

A prominent feature of the Canadian stamp is the World Youth Day 2002 logo, which consists of elements symbolizing the location, participants and spirit of this international conference and the visit of Pope John Paul II to Canada.

World Youth Day, which has been celebrated every year since 1986, has been an initiative of Pope John Paul II. It was born following the massive participation at the Jubilee of Young People in 1984 and the gathering for the International Year of Youth in Rome in 1985.

WYD is celebrated every year on Palm Sunday, but every two years a large international gathering is held. Other international gatherings with the Pope have taken place in Buenos Aires (Argentina) in 1987; Santiago de Compostela (Spain) in 1989; Czestochowa (Poland) in 1991; Denver (United States) in 1993; Manila (Philippines) in 1995; Paris (France) in 1997; and in Rome to mark the start of the new millennium.

Although the conference is meant primarily for Catholic youth, all youth are invited to participate in the festivities. The concluding Papal Mass, scheduled to be held at the Downsview Lands, is a major component of the event and is expected to draw up to 500,000 people.