Rome ready for the jubilee of young people: more than 20,000 agents, volunteers and toilets are mobilized

The mayor of Rome and extraordinary commissioner for the jubilee, Roberto Gualtieri, said Wednesday that the retirement of young people – which goes from July 28 to August 3 – represents “the greatest logistics and technological challenge of the whole holy year” and is one of the most complex events organized in Italy in recent times.

From the Vatican Press Room, Gualtieri explained that more than 20,000 people have been directly involved so that everything comes out as planned in the organization of the event.

Among them, 4,300 service assistants for pilgrims, 3,000 Civil Protection volunteers, 500 volunteers from the Holy See and 1,000 Local Police agents. The logistics deployment also includes 4,200 toilets, 9 fire teams and workers of more than 100 companies. In addition, there will be 4,600 shifts covered by cleaning staff.

The Tor Vergata area, a great esplanade that was already used during the World Youth Day of the year 2000 with San Juan Pablo II – and that brought together more than two million people – will be the scene of two of the most important moments of the Jubilee of the Young: The Vigil and the Final Mass with Pope Leo XIV, on August 2 and 3, respectively.

The area occupies more than one million square meters, that is, almost 96 hectares, with three wide accesses. The useful surface is 521,400 square meters, divided into six major sectors, which in turn are divided into subsectors “with all adequate security measures, which since the 2000 jubilee have become much more strict and detailed. It is, therefore, a very complex, articulated and thorough assembly,” Gualtieri explained.

As added by the capital of the capital and in charge of security, Lamberto Giannini, all participants will be subjected to individual controls – not random – in the revenues of the enclosures. All luggage will be reviewed, and rapid control devices will be used in the different accesses marked in established itineraries.

In addition to the police reinforcements that will be transferred to Rome those days from all over Italy, the capital will have the support of agents of the Spanish Civil Guard, the French gendarmerie and the Polish National Police, in response to the remarkable presence of the pilgrims who come from these countries.

During both days, 43 ambulances will be operational and there will be 46 civil protection positions; 4,200 first aid equipment with 3 health professionals each and 9 fire stations. 3 helipuertos have also been installed (one of them dedicated to allowing the landing of the Holy Father).

In addition, to guarantee the public health and well -being of young pilgrims, 2,760 chemical baths, 158 bathrooms for people with disabilities have been enabled and 2,660 points have been built with access to drinking water. Five million water bottles will also be made available to young people.

Monumental logistics effort

For the world event, the logistics effort has been monumental. 355 tents have been built and 179 audio and video towers, 2,000 speakers, 2,400 square meters of giant screens, 110 generators and 122 surveillance cameras have been enabled. There will be a 400 square meter control room and Internet access will be guaranteed thanks to the 20 km of optical fiber and 15 km of electrical wiring.

On the other hand, mobility has been reinforced with the operation of two subway lines for 21 hours, 8,621 spaces for buses that will transport pilgrims and 27 kilometers of roads in Tor Vergata, which also facilitates the movement of emergency vehicles

“We are talking about a monumental effort, which not only serves the jubilee, but leaves a lasting legacy for our city: from the improvement of health structures to the modernization of emergency equipment,” Gualtieri said. He added: “It is exciting that so many resources have been put at the service of a spiritual event, which speaks of faith, fraternity and peace. In a world marked by the commercialization and culture of discard, this is a deeply positive sign.”