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Udupi: In view of the National Youth Convention to be organized by the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) at St Joseph’s Engineering College, Vamanjoor, Mangaluru from 18 to 22 January 2017, youth representatives from various diocese from all over India will be arriving in Udupi on 14 January 2017 for an experience of staying with families in the diocese under the programme of ‘Days in Diocese’.

The ICYM, a youth organization of the Catholic Church in India under the authority of CBCI (Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India) holds National Youth Convention every two years. During the 9th All India Youth Convention held at Jalandhar, Punjab in 2013, Karnataka Region was given the opportunity to host the 10th National Youth Convention. Around 2000 youth delegates from different dioceses of India attend these conventions. These youth get an opportunity to witness and experience the art, culture and ways of life of the local people through the programme of ‘Days in Diocese’. Delegates arrive one week prior to the Convention and stay in groups with the families of ICYM members in the diocese as well as the neighbouring diocese. Besides understanding local culture, the youth from other parts of India learn about the ways of life as well as food habits of the people with whom they would stay and interact and gain new experience. Under this programme around 500 youth representatives will be arriving in the Udupi Diocese on 14 January.

The ICYM members of Udupi Diocese will be receiving the youth representatives arriving by train, flight or bus. On behalf of the Udupi Diocese, these representatives will be accorded a formal welcome at St Cecily’s College, Udupi at 2:30 pm on 14 January 2017. Fr Denis D’Sa, the PRO of Udupi Diocese will provide information of the diocese to the delegates and welcome the delegates by offering the diocesan shawl to each of them. Thereafter, these representatives will be sent to 51 parishes of the diocese. From the evening of 14 January till the morning of 17 January these youth representatives will be hosted by the ICYM families in the respective parishes. This will provide them an opportunity to learn about the culture and life of the people with whom they live.

According to the information provided by Fr Edwin D’Souza, Director of Youth of Udupi Diocese and ICYM president Loyal D’Souza, the valedictory programme of the ‘Days in Diocese’ will be held at St Lawrence Minor Basilica, Attur-Karkala on 17 January at 10:00 am. The Bishop of Udupi Diocese, Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo will concelebrate the mass and thereafter, the youth representatives will be given a warm send off.