“Young people are crucial to the life of the Church and society! They have many gifts to share and that we should give value to: dedication, creativity, generosity, desire to get to know and welcome the other persons, or rather, a great desire to love and to be loved, to know the truth and adhere to it. They believe they can change the world, and it is right and good that they believe it”. Mgr. Duarte da Cunha, Secretary General of CCEE, said this in the run-up to the Symposium on young people organised by the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) in Barcelona from 28 to 31 March 2017. “Accompanying young people – Mgr. da Cunha continued – thus becomes a beautiful mission that Jesus has entrusted to us. It means for the one who accompanies, to follow the light of God along with young people. The life of the persons who accompany them does not need to be perfect, but they must look at God and live the present moment with commitment. Thus, even when a young person is to go beyond an obstacle, the one who accompanies will be able to give him/her a direction, a new perspective that may also become an attractive proposal, in contrast to consumerism that is unable to fill the human heart. The action of loving young people leads to testify by words and deeds that it is worthwhile going ahead, what is good and what is bad, and what is true happiness. There is, in fact, no greater joy for an educator than seeing that the young person has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and that he/she becomes conscious of being able to freely give his/her life for others as well as to become in turn a true witness and guide for others. This means that we must take care not only of young people but also of the families and the communities, in order to make them increasingly ready to help and enthused by this mission to show Christ and walk with Him. This is why, in Barcelona, the program will include moments of prayer and the daily celebration of the Eucharist, during which we will pray for vocations (Wednesday 29) and for the family (Thursday 30)”.