What you need to know about WYD 2019

World Youth Day (WYD) is a celebration taking place in Panama City from January 22nd until January 29th, 2019.

The event, organized by the Catholic Church brings together young people and church leaders from over 150 countries. The international celebration aims to unite young people globally every two or three years, with the last event being held in Krakow Poland in 2016.  

Participate in WYD Panama 2019

Official information is being released on the WYD website and live updates are being released via Twitter and Facebook through the handle @WYDUSA.

The event taking place in Panama will involve a lot of security. Organizers and government officials have emphasized that participation (for the majority of the events), requires advance registration.  Visit the official site for registration here to receive tickets.

Individuals in Panama can also register to participate in World Youth Day through local church ministries or apostolates.

The U.S anticipates the event to bring over 100,000 youth and young adults to Panama. So it is important to consider the availability of transportation and lodging in advance. While public transportations services like buses and the Metro will be working overtime, hotels in Panama City are almost all at 100% occupancy for these dates already.  Travelers beware, WYD, will affect all of Panama City and much of the surrounding areas. Many public offices will be closed and some businesses in the private sector will also shut their doors during these dates. 

Where in Panama is WYD taking place?

The exact location is Avenida Demetrio Basilio Lakas, Building No. 783 Clayton, Panamá. However, events are set to take place all over the city during the dates of the Pope’s visit.

It becomes clear that, after Joint Task Force revealed details of the mobility plan, while the event is taking place in Clayton, the whole city will be affected by closed lanes, traffic regulations, mobilization of mass transportation, cargo and supply transport, and pedestrian routes. 

Public Transportation in Panama during WYD

The bus service offered by Mi Bus will be available 24 hours a day, with access to each of the stops next to the parishes.

Another service that will be available and expanded is the Panama Metro lines 1 and 2. For this activity, the Panama Metro will have 26 trains available. Line 2, with a 90% advance of its construction, will have five stations enabled from January 18 to 27. 

Closures in Panama City during WYD

Public offices in the districts of Panama and San Miguelito will close from noon on January 23 to Wednesday, January 25.

While the private sector will not declare any free days, some companies are offering vacation time for their employees due to the inability to access their workplaces. While other companies, such as hotels, restaurants, and transporters, expand their staff for these days.

Routes with "reduced vehicular mobility" include: Santa María La Antigua field (coastal strip), San Juan Pablo II field (Metro Park-Juan Díaz), Youth Park (Parque Omar-San Francisco).