Figures Speak for Themselves
ROME, AUGUST 21 (ZENIT.org).- The conclusion of World Youth Day was the largest gathering of people in European history. Only on one other occasion in the history of humanity was a larger number congregated, and that was for the 1995 World Youth Day held in Manila. On that occasion, it was impossible to count the participants, but it is estimated that their number was between 4- 5 million.
The following data attempts to give a better understanding of the magnitude of the closing events of World Youth Day 2000 in Tor Vergata, on August 19 and 20.
Number of Pilgrims 2 million youths attended the mass meeting in Tor Vergata, although the City of Rome estimates that the number of those present was somewhat greater.
-- 1,400,000 came from Italy; 600,000 from the rest of the world.
-- 160 countries were represented.
-- 2,000 people needed medical care, because of heat and exhaustion.
Organization in Numbers - 25,000 volunteers guaranteed the event's organization.
-- 150 large trucks transported snacks and drinks.
-- 81 electric light towers illuminated the Vigil with the Pope.
-- 6,000,000 bottles of free mineral water were distributed.
-- 12,000 chemical toilets were installed.
-- 1,000 tons of trash were left in the Tor Vergata field.
-- 5,500 Italian police guaranteed safety.
-- Only 2 incidents of theft were reported to the police (This is also a historic record).
Zenit - The World Seen From Rome