To help celebrate International Youth Day, World Youth Day 2008 (WYD08) organisers are calling for 8,000 domestic and international volunteers to help run the largest youth event Australia has hosted.

World Youth Day will be held on 15 - 20 July 2008, when over 500,000 people from all over the world are expected to take part in the event. It will also mark the first visit of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI to Australia.

"Volunteers are essential to the coordination and organisation of any major event," said WYD08 Chief Operating Officer Danny Casey.

"We are looking for over 8,000 volunteers to help with so many areas of the event including operations and crowd management, customer service, language and translations, staffing, hospitality & catering, accommodation, production, communications, liturgy and evangelisation," he said.

Volunteers need to be over the age of 18, but have the opportunity to sign up to a number of different contract roles. Volunteers can enlist as either:

• Event Volunteers: For the week leading into, and of WYD08.
• Casual Volunteers: For the months preceding WYD08.
• Long Term Volunteers: To work for six to 12 months leading into WYD08.

Volunteers will not only gain the experience of a lifetime, but will also receive assistance with public transportation costs, meals and accommodation if required.

Volunteers are sought not only from around Sydney, but also from all over Australia, New Zealand and around the world.

WYD08 is taking applications now. For more information and to apply, visit www.wyd2008.org/volunteer .

Only 337 days to go to WYD08!