GRANDPARENTS CENTRAL ROLE IN WORLD YOUTH DAY!

The following is taken from the WYD website: Grandparents are being invited to participate in World Youth Day, not just watch as spectators. World Youth Day organizers have created a Grandparent’s Club for those who are over 60.

15, 211 membership cards were sent out to Grandparents across Madrid and being made available on line to Grandparents around the world. Club members agree to fulfill a list of duties, like praying for spiritual fruit of WYD, encouraging and helping their grandchildren register for WYD, encouraging other grandparents to join the club, and volunteering at a local parish or pilgrims welcome centre if possible.

Gabriel González-Andrío, director of marketing for WYD Madrid 2011 said, “the campaign is heartwarming and inviting because we want to encourage all grandparents to become participants in World Youth Day, not just spectators.” The campaign advertisements stars six grandparents talking about the historical moments they were part of in Spain when they were in their 20s.

The first member of this Club is Rosa Garcia, a mother of 13, grandmother of 42, and great-grandmother of seven. “I’m very proud to be able to help, to dedicate my time to helping make sure that this great gathering of young people will be a success on many levels. I encourage all grandparents to join this club.”

The music for the campaign is provided by the Duo Dinamico, a Spanish music duo who climbed the charts in the 60s and won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1968. They went on to write and produce for artists, including Julio Iglesias.

Duo Dinamico released the rights to en unedited version of their song “Somos Jovenes” for use in this campaign. Duo Dinamico is made up of Manuel de la Calva and Ramòn Arcusa, who duo said, “this event promises to be positive in that it promotes all the values we need to instill in our youth; education, family values, and living together in society in general.”

If you want to be a member of the Club, you can write us here: abuelos@jmj2011madrid.com