APAV and Lisbon 2023 WYD Foundation establish protocol
The World Youth Day (WYD) Lisbon 2023 Foundation and the Portuguese Association for Victim Support (APAV) signed today, March 2nd, a collaboration protocol with the aim of planning, monitoring and building synergies to prevent and anticipate the prompt response to any incidents that may occur before and during the largest gathering of young people from around the world with the Pope.
According to D. Américo Aguiar, President of the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation, "from the beginning, the desire to establish this protocol with the APAV arose", so that "they can help us, with the best possible practices. In addition, it is intended that "all the people who come to WYD feel in a welcoming, safe environment," added D. Américo Aguiar.
João Lázaro, President of the Board of APAV, said that this partnership was assumed with "a great honour, sense of responsibility and with great pride". He also mentioned that "it is the first time that the focus on victims has its own dimension in the planning of an event of this huge dimension".
The protocol provides, as João Lázaro revealed, "a whole follow-up and a strategic partnership in the area of prevention, empowerment and training" since APAV will have a Victim Support Centre in the premises of WYD Lisbon 2023 and a Mobile Victim Support Team, with technicians available to travel and provide, where necessary, support services to pilgrims in the Dioceses of Reception (Lisbon, Santarém and Setúbal).
Specific training will also be given to the various teams of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and all the volunteers who will be working in the week of WYD Lisbon 2023 and the week before. In addition, during WYD Lisbon 2023, there will also be a reinforcement of the free and confidential Victim Support Line 116 006.
As D. Américo Aguiar stated, "we have requested APAV so that, both in the training of our collaborators and in the situations that will still be resorted to, we can do everything in preparation for WYD so that everything is ready".