On Tuesday 24 September at the Holy See Press Office, orga-nizers and promoters of the next global gathering of youth pre-sented World Youth Day (WYD) 2027 to be hosted by the Catholic Church in Seoul, South Korea.
The theme for this 41st World Youth Day (2026 and Seoul 2027) is taken from John’s Gospel, re-calling Jesus’ words: “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33). Also announ-ced was the theme for the 40th World Youth Day coming up before that in 2025, also from John’s Gospel when Jesus says: “You also are my witnesses, because you have been with me” (Jn 15:27).
Presenting details of the Seoul global celebration of faith were Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, the Vatican office over-seeing the WYD events; Arch-bishop Peter Soon-Taick Chung of Seoul, South Korea, and Pre-sident of the Local Organizing Committee of Seoul 2027; Bishop Paul Kyung Sang Lee of South Korea, General Coordinator of WYD Seoul 2027; and Ms. Ga-briela Su-Ji Kim, a young Korean who participated and previous World Youth Days who shared her experiences and hopes.
In his address Bishop Kyung-sang Lee thanked Pope Francis for the choice of the theme, “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” (Jn 16:33), saying it “re-sonates deeply with the circum-stances faced by the Catholic Church of Korea and the chall-enges confronting today’s youth.”
He also noted that “Korea stands in a unique context distinct from previous World Youth Day hosts, characterized by the harmonious coexistence of diverse religious traditions” that can offer a unique and rich experience for youth from around the world. In reference to the division of Korea, he said “the Church has diligently worked to resolve the conflicts inherent in this division over the past seven decades, seeking peace and unity for the Korean people.”
In addition to presenting organizational details and events for promoting WYD 2027, Bishop Kyung-sang Lee presented the logo for the event, noting that central to the logo is a cross with the red and blue colours symbolizing Christ’s triumphant victory over the world. The left element, reaching upward, signifies God in Heaven, while the right element, pointing downward, symbolizes Earth, illustrating the fulfilment of God’s will on Earth through their unity, all inspired by traditional Korean art.